Evaluating the accuracy of the sandwich method in colonic stent placement
To enhance the accuracy of stent placement in obstructive colorectal cancer, we evaluated the efficacy of the “sandwich method”, a technique developed at our institution. This retrospective observational study included 28 patients who underwent endoscopic colonic stent placement followed by surgical resection between April 2022 and August 2024. The degree of misalignment between the center of the stent and the center of the tumor was assessed using resected specimens. The mean deviation was 4.37 mm, with 71.4% of cases exhibiting a displacement of less than 5 mm. Technical success was achieved in all cases (100%), and clinical success was observed in 92.8% of patients. No procedure-related adverse events were reported. The sandwich method, which involves partial stent deployment followed by endoscopic compression to secure positioning, enables precise placement even in anatomically challenging cases such as rectal lesions. It also allows for the use of shorter stents, potentially reducing the risk of complications such as delayed perforation and contributing to improved surgical outcomes. These findings suggest that the sandwich method is a safe and effective technique for colonic stent placement, particularly in cases requiring accurate positioning. Further studies are warranted to validate its applicability in other institutions and clinical settings.
