ABSTRACT
Patients with dysphagia often ignore their symptoms and find ways of dealing with their difficulty, usually by changing their dietary habits. There are no specific associated features that will help to differentiate benign from malignant causation. A stent that has migrated into the stomach can be left in situ, and may even pass down the gut. Attempts at removal should only be undertaken if the stent is causing symptoms, such as obstruction. A less common, and widely missed, diagnosis on the basis of symptoms is the presence of a tracheo-oesophageal fistula. The available choice of palliative endoscopic technique seems to be increasing as new techniques come on stream. The choice of technique will depend upon the techniques available in the hospital, the experience of the endoscopist, and to some extent personal preference. There is no single technique or type of equipment that will meet every requirement, and so for good palliation a range of options must be available.
