Post-Procedure Care

For 48 hours following the procedure, the patient should be restricted to a liquid diet, even if the stent seems to be fully expanded.  If the stent is not fully expanded by 48 hours, the patient's diet should include only liquids and soft foods.  Follow-up esophagograms should be performed at 5 to 7 day intervals until the stent is adequately expanded.  As soon as the stent is fully expanded, the patient may be advanced to a regular diet with instructions to avoid swallowing large pieces of solid food and to drink carbonated beverages with meals.  If the stent crosses the LES, anti-reflux instructions should be given to the patient, and a daily 20 mg dose of omeprazole (Prilosec Delayed Release Capsules, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA) should be prescribed to minimize the anticipated symptoms and complications of GE reflux.  Endoscopic or fluoroscopic follow-up examinations should be performed every 4 months or sooner, if dictated by the patient's symptoms.  Close follow-up will allow evaluation of stent function and early diagnosis of tumor ingrowth or overgrowth.