2021 Volume 98 Issue 1 Pages 72-74
A woman in her 80s underwent placement of a self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) for malignant gastric outlet obstruction due to advanced gastric cancer. A fracture in the SEMS was observed by esophagogastroduodenoscopy and abdominal radiograph 98 days after SEMS placement, and a second SEMS was placed. She died of the primary disease 117 days after placement of the initial SEMS. Fracture of a SEMS is a relatively rare event that occurs in 0.5-0.6% of cases. Previously, it was thought to be caused by a fault in the manufacturing process or deterioration over time. In our case, when fracture of the SEMS was found, Virchow lymph node metastasis and peritoneal dissemination were also observed. External physical force due to progression of the primary lesion may cause fracture of SEMS.
