Endoscopic palliation of inoperable cancer of the oesophagus or cardia by argon electrocoagulation.

BACKGROUND

Cancer of the oesophagus and the cardia tends to present late. Palliation of dysphagia is the prospect of most of the patients. This paper reports the use of argon electrocoagulation in 83 patients with inoperable cancer strictures in the oesophagus and cardia.

METHODS

The argon electrocoagulation was done by a fibre conducting electricity and argon air to the site of coagulation. After treatment the patients were allowed to take fluids and normal food the same evening or the next morning. After recanalization the patients were treated regularly every 3-4 weeks.

RESULTS

Recanalization enabling passage for normal food was achieved with 1 treatment in 48 patients (58%), whereas 22 (26%) needed more than 1 treatment. In 13 patients (16%) the ability to eat normal food was not achieved. In these patients dysphagia improved at least one grade. Perforation was seen in seven patients (8%) and in 1% of treatments. Perforations were successfully treated conservatively in six of the seven patients. Sixty-three patients (76%) died during the investigation period, on average 146 days (range, 43-397 days) after diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

Argon electrocoagulation offers an easy, cheap, and safe alternative to treatment with laser photocoagulation and expandable metal stents.