A prospective, randomized, controlled trial of covered expandable metal stents in the palliation of malignant esophageal obstruction at the gastroesophageal junction.

Objective: Palliation of malignant esophageal obstruction is an important clinical problem. Expandable metal stents are a major advance in therapy, but many stents become obstructed because of tumor ingrowth. The aim of this study was to compare a new, membrane-covered expandable metal stent to conventional prostheses in a randomized controlled trial.