Laser therapy in the palliation of dysphagia in oesophageal malignancy

Abstract

Dysphagia is a distressing symptom commonly found in patients with oesophageal malignancy. Endoscopic laser therapy, in isolation or in conjunction with other treatments, can offer effective palliation.

The procedure is outlined together with discussion of the advantages and complications of this technique.

Keywords

deglutition disorders endoscopy laser coagulation oesophageal neoplasms palliative treatment

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Earlam R. , Cunha-Melo JR Oesophageal squamous carcinoma: 1. A critical review of survery. Br J Surg 1980 ; 67: 381-90.

Bown SG Palliation of malignant dysphagia: surgery, radiotherapy, laser, intubation alone or in combination. Gut 1991; 32: 841-44.

Moses FM , Peura DA , Wong Rkh , Johnson LF Palliative dilatation of oesophageal carcinoma. Gastrointest Endosc 1985; 31: 61-63.

Liakakos TK , Ohri SK , Townsend ER , Fountain SW Palliative intubation for dysphagia in patients with carcinoma of the oesophagus . Ann Thorac Surg 1992; 53:460-63.

Sturgess R. , Krasner N. Oesophageal carcinoma treatment: palliative modalities. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 1994; 6: 684-91.

Kaloo AN , Fleischer DE , Chatlani PT Endoscopic laser therapy for carcinoma of the oesophagus and gastric cardia . In: Krasner N ed. Lasers in gastroenterology. London: Chapman and Hall Medical, 1991: 137-50.

Fleischer D. , Kessler F. , Haye O. Endoscopic Nd YAG laser therapy for carcinoma of the oesophagus: a new palliative approach. Am J Surg 1982; 143: 280-83.

Barr H. , Krasner N. , Raouf A. , Walker RJ Prospective randomised trial of laser therapy only and laser therapy followed by endoscopic intubation for the palliation of malignant dysphagia. Gut 1990; 31: 252-58.

Barr H. , Krasner N. Prospective quality-of-life analysis after palliative photoablation for the treatment of malignant dysphagia. Cancer 1991 ; 68: 1660-64.

10.

Krasner N. , Barr H. , Skidmore C. , Morris AL Palliative laser therapy for malignant dysphagia. Gut 1987; 28: 792-98.

11.

Chatlani PT , Barr H. , Krasner N. Longterm survivors of Nd-YAG laser therapy for upper gastrointestinal carcinoma [Abstract]. Gut 1989; 30: A1475.

12.

Karlin DA , Fisher RS , Krevsky B. Prolonged survival and effective palliation in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus following endoscopic laser therapy. Cancer 1987; 59: 1969-72.

13.

Sargeant IR , Loizou LA , Tobias JS , Blackman G. , Thorpe S. , Bown SG Radiation enhancement of laser palliation for malignant dysphagia: a pilot study. Gut 1992; 33: 1597-601.

14.

Mellow MH , Pinkas H. Endoscopic laser therapy for malignancies affecting the oesophagus and gastroesophageal junction: analysis of technical and functional efficacy. Arch Intern Med 1985; 145: 1443-46.

15.

Kohler B. , Rieman JF Incidence of bacteraemia after endoscopic laser treatment of stenosing processes in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Am J Gastroenterol 1987; 82: 1026-28.