Safety and efficacy of metallic stents in the management of colorectal obstruction.

Background: The use of self-expandable metallic stents in the management of obstructing colorectal cancer has been described with increasing frequency in the literature. Our goal was to evaluate the efficacy and associated morbidity of the use of self-expandable metallic stents to relieve colorectal obstruction at our institution.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent colorectal stent placement between December 2001 and December 2003 in a tertiary referral center was performed.