Biliary metal stents for proximal esophageal or hypopharyngeal strictures

Introduction Endoscopic dilation is the standard of care for stenoses of the cervical esophagus, but refractory strictures require some form of stenting. Most endoscopists avoid the placement of metal stents near the upper esophageal sphincter as they can cause major problems like severe cervical pain and globus sensation. We report our results with the use of biliary SEMS in the upper esophagus, which have a smaller diameter than regular esophageal stents and therefore exert less expansive force.