[Through-bougie esophageal prosthesis intubation--a method and its evaluation].

A new method was developed for nonsurgical peroral positioning of an esophageal prosthesis by using bougie under X-ray control in 1983. I referred to it as "through-bougie esophageal prosthesis intubation". The external diameter of a bougie is equal to the internal diameter of an esophageal prosthesis, so intubation can be performed safely and smoothly. This method was carried out in 44 cases (40 cases of cancerous stenosis, and 4 cases of cicatrical stenosis), and insertion of an esophageal prosthesis was possible in all cases. The improvement rate of peroral feeding was 88.6%. This new method is useful for the patients, who have dysphasia due to inoperable stenosis of the upper gastrointestinal tract.