Endoscopic removal of an esophageal stent after diffuse hyperplastic tissue ingrowth

Endoscopic placement of esophageal Self-Expandable Metal Stents (SEMS) is a therapeutic option for post-surgical esophageal leaks. Partially covered SEMS are mainly designed for malignant esophageal strictures, but are used off-label to close post-surgical leaks due to their lower migration rate than fully covered SEMS, and better adherence to the esophageal wall. Partially covered esophageal SEMS can achieve post-surgical fistula healing, but their removal is difficult due to tissue ingrowth through the uncovered part. A challenging case of a difficult removal of a partially covered esophageal SEMS (remove the indefinite article) is (below) presented. © 2013 The Authors.