Boston Scientific WallFlex Enteral Stents shown to be safe and effective in three clinical registries (BSX) 6.02 : Co sees 'positive' results from three studies of the WallFlex Enteral Stent Systems, a family of self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) used to alleviate obstructive symptoms caused by cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. The studies, published in peer-reviewed medical journals, determined the WallFlex Stents to be safe and effective for the treatment of malignant colorectal and gastroduodenal obstruction.
* The first publication appeared in the October 2011 issue of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and reported the short-term safety and effectiveness of the Boston Scientific WallFlex Enteral Colonic Stent for relieving malignant colorectal obstruction. The WallFlex Enteral Colonic Stent was determined to be safe and effective for treatment of malignant colorectal obstruction with a clinical success rate of 90.5 percent.
* The second publication, appearing in the December 2011 issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology, show rates of 97.8 percent procedural success and 94 percent clinical success, prompting the authors to conclude that the WallFlex Colonic Stent is both safe and effective as a bridge-to-surgery treatment in patients with acute malignant obstruction.
* The third publication in the January 2012 issue of Digestive and Liver Disease shows procedural and clinical success rates of 98 and 91 percent respectively. The authors concluded that adoption of duodenal stenting could result in this minimally invasive procedure becoming standard of care when managing inoperable patients with advanced cancer experiencing gastric outlet obstruction.
