Biodegradable stents: truly biodegradable with good tissue harmony

A 48-year-old man presented to our hospital with corrosive (sulfuric acid)-induced esophageal and pyloric strictures and a barium study showing narrowing of a long segment in the distal esophagus ([Fig. 1 a]), reduced capacity of stomach, and antropyloric narrowing ([Fig. 1 b]). Balloon dilation (Boston Scientific, Natick, Massachusetts, USA) of esophageal and pyloric strictures was done over a period of 6 months. The pyloric stricture opened up, however, the esophageal stricture was refractory and the patient continued to have dysphagia. Therefore, an 80 mm × 23 mm SX-ELLA esophageal biodegradable stent (ELLA-CS, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic) was placed across the narrowed segment of the esophagus. Endoscopy revealed complete degradation at 12 weeks, and after 4 months the patient had symptomatic recurrence requiring dilation ([Fig. 2]). After 6 months of the placement of the biodegradable stent he underwent transhiatal esophagectomy with colonic transposition. The patient remained asymptomatic at follow-up after 6 months.