Oesophageal stent insertion

A procedure, usually done at endoscopy with sedation, to place a tube (stent) that holds open a narrowed oesophagus so swallowing is easier, most often to relieve symptoms in advanced cancer.

✓ Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant · last reviewed September 2026 · next review September 2027 · how we review

In short

An oesophageal stent is a mesh tube placed at endoscopy to hold open a narrowed gullet so swallowing is easier, most often to relieve symptoms in advanced cancer.
It relieves symptoms rather than treating the cause: the cancer or other condition is managed separately.
Swallowing usually improves within a few days, but you will need to follow eating advice (chew well, sit upright, take care with bread and lumps of meat) to avoid the stent blocking.
It is usually done on the NHS as part of palliative care; ask about the benefits, the risks such as perforation and reflux, and what happens if the stent moves or blocks.

A plain-English summary. The detail — including risks and recovery — is below.

At a glance

TypeEndoscopic (minor) procedure

AnaestheticUsually sedation, with throat numbing spray

How long it takesOften around 20 to 30 minutes

Hospital stayOften a short stay, commonly about 1 to 2 days

Time off workUsually short; depends on your overall health

When you'll see resultsSwallowing usually improves within a few days

On the NHS?Usually done on the NHS, often as part of palliative care for cancer

A general guide. Your surgeon will give you advice for your situation.

Best fit

Can relieve difficulty swallowing relatively quickly, usually within a few days.

Pause if

The narrowing or symptoms would be better treated another way, such as by stretching (dilatation), radiotherapy or treating the cancer.

Main recovery point

You are monitored as the sedation wears off. You may have chest discomfort as the stent expands and will usually start with sips of fluid.

Good aftercare

Clear written eating advice and a contact route for problems.

First few hours

You are monitored as the sedation wears off. You may have chest discomfort as the stent expands and will usually...

First 1 to 2 days

Many people stay in for a short time and build up from fluids to a soft, moist diet as advised, before going home.

First few days

Swallowing usually improves as the stent reaches its full width. Any acid-reducing medication is started if needed.

Ongoing

You follow long-term eating advice to keep the stent clear and watch for any return of swallowing difficulty...

Medical line illustration of self expanding luminal stent for Oesophageal stent insertion. — Illustration only - not a diagnosis, medical advice or a promise of result. Your anatomy and treatment plan may differ. Vuemedics does not publish before-and-after photos.

What is oesophageal stent insertion?

An oesophageal stent is a tube, usually made of a flexible metal mesh, that is placed inside the oesophagus (gullet) to hold it open where it has become narrowed. It is most often used to relieve difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) caused by cancer that is blocking the gullet, and sometimes to seal an abnormal connection (fistula) between the oesophagus and the airway.

The stent is usually inserted at endoscopy, with sedation, using a thin flexible telescope and X-ray guidance. It starts narrow and gently expands to hold the gullet open, so food and drink can pass more easily.

This is usually a treatment to relieve symptoms (palliation) rather than to cure the underlying cause. It can make eating and drinking more comfortable and improve quality of life, but it does not treat the cancer itself, which is managed separately.

Once a stent has been in place for more than a short time it usually cannot be removed, so the decision is made carefully with your specialist team.

Types, options & approaches

There may be different ways to do this. The right approach depends on the clinical question and your circumstances.

Self-expanding metal stent (SEMS)

The most common type: a flexible metal mesh tube that starts narrow and expands to hold the gullet open. Often used to relieve swallowing problems in cancer.

Covered stent

A stent with a covering that can help seal a fistula or reduce tumour growing through the mesh, but which may be more likely to move out of position.

Uncovered or partly covered stent

Less likely to move because tissue grows into the mesh, but tumour can sometimes grow through it, which may block the stent later.

Stent across the junction with the stomach

A stent placed where the oesophagus meets the stomach can ease swallowing but often allows acid reflux, so anti-reflux advice and medication are usually needed.

Stent versus other ways to relieve swallowing problems

Point	Stent	Other options
Speed of relief	Usually within days	Radiotherapy slower
What it treats	Symptoms, not the cancer	Varies by treatment
Procedure	Endoscopy with sedation	Varies
Main downsides	Reflux, blockage, movement	Depends on option
Removable	Often not after a while	Varies

A stent is one way to relieve swallowing problems. Others include radiotherapy, dilatation (stretching), feeding tubes or treating the cancer itself. Your team will advise what suits your situation.

Preparing for your procedure

You will usually need to stop eating and drinking for several hours beforehand, as advised, so the stomach is empty for sedation.
Tell the team about all your medicines, especially blood thinners, which may need adjusting before the procedure.
Mention any allergies and any previous problems with sedation.
Because you will be sedated, arrange for someone to take you home and stay with you, and do not drive for the rest of the day.
Ask whether you will need acid-reducing medication afterwards, especially if the stent crosses into the stomach.
Discuss what the stent is expected to achieve and how it fits with your overall treatment plan.
Ask for written eating advice for after the stent is in place.

What happens

The procedure is usually done at endoscopy. The back of your throat is numbed with a spray and you are given sedation through a drip to make you drowsy and comfortable.

A thin flexible telescope (a gastroscope) is passed through your mouth to look at the narrowing. A soft guidewire is passed across it, and the stent is positioned over the wire using X-ray guidance. The stent starts narrow and is released so that it gently expands to hold the gullet open. The procedure often takes around 20 to 30 minutes.

Afterwards you are monitored while the sedation wears off. You may have some chest discomfort as the stent expands. Many people stay in for a short time, commonly about 1 to 2 days, and start with fluids before building up to a soft diet as advised.

Swallowing usually improves within a few days rather than immediately, as the stent reaches its full width.

Is this procedure right for me?

A good consultation should explore whether it's the right choice for you now — including reasons to wait or consider something else.

May not be suitable if…

The narrowing or symptoms would be better treated another way, such as by stretching (dilatation), radiotherapy or treating the cancer.
The position of the narrowing (for example very high in the gullet) makes a stent unsuitable or uncomfortable.
You are too unwell to have sedation and endoscopy safely.
A stent is unlikely to improve your quality of life given your overall situation, as judged with your team.

Delay or rearrange if…

You have an active chest infection or are acutely unwell.
You have not been able to stop eating and drinking long enough to have sedation safely.
Your blood-thinning medication needs adjusting first.
Important decisions about your overall treatment plan are still being made with your team.

Alternatives to discuss

Stretching the narrowing (dilatation), though the effect is often temporary.
Radiotherapy to shrink a tumour and ease swallowing, which works more slowly.
A feeding tube (for example into the stomach or bowel) to maintain nutrition.
Treating the underlying cancer with chemotherapy or other treatments.
Best supportive (palliative) care focused on comfort and symptom control.

Before you decide

Use this as a shared-decision checklist. The aim is not just “can this be done?”, but whether it is right for you, now, with the risks and alternatives clearly understood.

What matters most to me?

Think about symptoms, daily life, work, caring responsibilities, sport, fertility, travel, appearance and anxiety — the right choice depends on your priorities, not just the medical facts.

What are all my options?

Ask about waiting, monitoring, medicines, rehabilitation, a smaller or larger procedure, a different test, NHS referral, or a second opinion where that would help.

What would make me pause?

Active infection, pregnancy, unstable medical problems, smoking, medicines that increase bleeding, poor support at home, or feeling pressured are all reasons to slow down and get tailored advice.

What happens if I do nothing today?

For some problems, waiting is safe; for others, delay can make treatment harder. A good consultation should explain the trade-off in plain English.

Comfort, sedation or contrast choices

If local anaesthetic, sedation, contrast or pain relief is used, ask what is planned, why, and what it means afterwards.

Throat numbing spray

Numbs the back of the throat to make passing the telescope more comfortable.

Sedation

Given through a drip to make you drowsy and relaxed during the procedure; you will need someone to take you home afterwards.

Benefits

Can relieve difficulty swallowing relatively quickly, usually within a few days.
Can allow you to eat and drink more comfortably and keep up nutrition.
Can help seal an abnormal connection (fistula) between the gullet and airway.
Avoids major surgery and is usually done as a short procedure.
Can improve quality of life as part of palliative care.

Risks & complications

More common

Chest or back discomfort as the stent expands, often for a day or two.
Acid reflux or heartburn, especially if the stent crosses into the stomach.
Feeling that food can still stick, so eating advice must be followed carefully.
Needing to change how you eat, taking smaller mouthfuls and chewing well.

Less common

The stent moving out of position (migration), which may need a further procedure.
The stent blocking with food, or tumour growing through or around it, needing a repeat endoscopy.
Minor bleeding during the procedure.
A chest infection, including from fluid going into the lungs (aspiration).

Rare but serious

A tear or hole in the oesophagus (perforation), which can need an additional stent or emergency surgery.
Significant bleeding, which rarely may need a blood transfusion.
A new fistula forming between the gullet and the airway.

The most serious risk is a tear (perforation) of the oesophagus, which UK patient information puts at roughly 1 in 100 to around 7 in 100 depending on the source and situation. Reflux and the stent blocking or moving are more common issues. Because a stent usually cannot be removed once it has settled, and because it relieves symptoms rather than treating the cause, the decision should be made with your specialist team as part of your overall plan.

Published figures to discuss

Risks vary with the position and cause of the narrowing, the type of stent and your overall health. The most serious risk is a tear (perforation). Reported figures differ between sources and situations, so the ranges below are cautious indicators from UK patient information rather than personal predictions.

Figure	Reported range	How to interpret it	Source / confidence
Perforation (a tear in the oesophagus)	Roughly 1 in 100 to around 7 in 100, depending on the source and situation	Serious; may need an additional stent or emergency surgery. UK leaflets quote figures from under 1% to about 7%.	Palliative radiotherapy after oesophageal cancer stenting (ROCS trial) — PMCncbi.nlm.nih.govPublished figure
Chest pain as the stent expands	Around 1 in 10 (about 10%) in some UK patient information	Usually settles within a day or two and is managed with pain relief.	Palliative radiotherapy after oesophageal cancer stenting (ROCS trial) — PMCncbi.nlm.nih.govPublished figure
Stent moving or blocking later	Recurrent swallowing difficulty is reported in about 31%; typical causes include migration around 11% and tumour in- or overgrowth around 14%	May need repeat endoscopy to reposition the stent, clear blockage, treat tumour overgrowth, or place a second stent.	Palliative radiotherapy after oesophageal cancer stenting (ROCS trial) — PMCncbi.nlm.nih.govPublished figure

These are literature figures, not a personalised prediction. Your own risks and likely benefits depend on your circumstances, your health, and how your care is carried out and followed up.

What happens afterwards

There is usually no major physical recovery, but you are monitored while the sedation wears off and you learn how to eat with the stent. Swallowing usually improves over a few days rather than straight away.

First few hours

You are monitored as the sedation wears off. You may have chest discomfort as the stent expands and will usually start with sips of fluid.

First 1 to 2 days

Many people stay in for a short time and build up from fluids to a soft, moist diet as advised, before going home.

First few days

Swallowing usually improves as the stent reaches its full width. Any acid-reducing medication is started if needed.

Ongoing

You follow long-term eating advice to keep the stent clear and watch for any return of swallowing difficulty, which can mean the stent has moved or blocked.

What's normal — and not a worry

Some chest or back discomfort for a day or two as the stent expands.
A sensation of the stent being there, which usually settles.
Mild reflux or heartburn, especially when lying flat.
Gradual rather than immediate improvement in swallowing.
Needing to adjust how you eat, with smaller mouthfuls and plenty of chewing.

Aftercare

Eat slowly, take small mouthfuls and chew food well to avoid the stent blocking.
Avoid foods that easily cause blockage, such as lumps of meat, doughy bread and stringy or fibrous foods, unless advised otherwise.
Sip fluids with meals and consider fizzy drinks to help clear the stent, if your team agrees.
Sit upright while eating and stay upright afterwards; sleep propped up to reduce reflux.
Take any prescribed acid-reducing medication regularly.
Keep a contact number for advice and know the signs that mean you should seek help.
Continue with your wider treatment and care plan as arranged.

Before your procedure

Written eating advice for living with a stent.
Someone to take you home and stay with you after sedation.
Any acid-reducing medication collected.
A contact number for the endoscopy or specialist team.
A clear understanding of warning signs that need urgent help.
Your next appointment or treatment noted.
Soft, moist foods ready at home for the first days.

⚠ Get urgent help if…

Severe or worsening chest pain after the procedure.
High temperature, feeling very unwell or breathlessness, which can signal infection or a tear.
Vomiting blood, coughing up blood or passing black, tarry stools.
Being unable to swallow your own saliva, or food and drink coming back up.
A sudden return of difficulty swallowing, which can mean the stent has moved or blocked.
Coughing or choking when eating or drinking, which can mean fluid is entering the airway.
Severe or persistent reflux that is not controlled by your medication.

Who to contact: your clinician, clinic or test provider first (keep their number to hand). For urgent advice when you can't reach them, call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.

General guidance — it doesn't replace the specific advice your surgeon gives you.

Results & realistic expectations

A good result means swallowing becomes easier within a few days so you can eat and drink more comfortably and keep up your nutrition. The stent holds the gullet open but does not treat the underlying cancer or condition, which is managed separately.

A stent cannot guarantee that swallowing will stay easy: it can block, move or, in cancer, be affected by the tumour growing further, any of which may need a repeat procedure. Your team will explain what to expect and what to watch for.

How long it lasts

How long a stent keeps working varies. Many people get useful relief, but stents can block with food, move out of position, or be affected by tumour growth over time, so a further procedure is sometimes needed. Because a stent usually cannot be removed once settled, it is planned as a longer-term measure within your overall care.

Related tests, treatments or support

An oesophageal stent is often used alongside other treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy or supportive care, and is one of several ways to relieve swallowing problems. Some people have radiotherapy as well as a stent; your team will advise what suits your situation.

Follow-up & long-term care

You will usually be given advice on eating and a contact route for problems, and you will continue with your wider treatment and care plan. If swallowing worsens again, you may need a repeat endoscopy to check or unblock the stent or to consider another option.

Lifelong care with how you eat to keep the stent clear.
Regular acid-reducing medication if reflux is a problem.
Knowing how to recognise and report a blocked or displaced stent.
Repeat endoscopy if the stent blocks, moves or is affected by tumour growth.

Repeat, follow-on and what comes next

The stent can block with food or be affected by tumour growth, needing a repeat endoscopy.
The stent can move out of position and may need repositioning or a further stent.
A second stent is sometimes placed inside or alongside the first.
Because a stent usually cannot be removed once settled, plans focus on managing it rather than taking it out.

Ask what happens if the result is unclear or needs repeating, and what is included if further tests or follow-up are needed.

What good aftercare looks like

Clear written eating advice and a contact route for problems.
A plan for reflux, including medication and anti-reflux measures where the stent crosses into the stomach.
Quick access to a repeat endoscopy if the stent blocks or moves.
Joined-up care with your wider cancer or palliative care team.
Clear warning signs explained, including severe chest pain, fever, bleeding or a return of swallowing difficulty.

What affects the cost

Costs vary a great deal between people and providers, and we don't publish prices. What matters is understanding what drives the cost and making sure your quote is complete. The main things that affect it:

The operator's (endoscopist's) fee.
Sedation and the endoscopy and X-ray facility.
The stent itself, as types and designs differ.
Any overnight or short stay for monitoring.
Follow-up and any repeat procedure if the stent blocks or moves.
Acid-reducing and other medication.
Wider treatment and palliative care, which are usually arranged separately.

Make sure your written quote includes

The operator's fee and the sedation/anaesthetic cost.
The endoscopy and X-ray facility fee and the cost of the stent.
Whether a short stay for monitoring is included.
Follow-up appointments and advice.
What happens, and who pays, if the stent blocks or moves and needs a repeat procedure.
What happens if a complication such as perforation occurs.
How this fits with the cost of your wider cancer or palliative care.

On the NHS? Oesophageal stenting is usually provided on the NHS, often as part of palliative care to relieve swallowing problems; private care may be used for speed or choice of consultant.

You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including reports, follow-up and what happens if the result is inconclusive — before you decide.

Choosing a specialist safely

Check the surgeon is on the GMC Specialist Register for this area.
Make sure they work at a CQC-registered service, and look for membership of the relevant Royal College or professional body.
You're entitled to time to consider and to have your questions answered before you agree — the surgeon who looks after you should explain it, not a salesperson.
Be wary of pressure: time-limited offers or deposits taken before you've had time to think are red flags, not bargains.
You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including any follow-up — before you decide.

How Vuemedics verifies every consultant →

Questions to ask your medical professional

Take this to your consultation. A good surgeon will welcome every one of these.

What is the stent expected to achieve for me, and how does it fit with my overall treatment?
What are my chances of swallowing improving, and how soon?
What are the risks for me, including perforation and reflux?
Will I need acid-reducing medication, and for how long?
What should I do if swallowing gets worse again or the stent blocks?
Are there other options, such as radiotherapy, that might suit me better or as well?
Are you on the GMC Specialist Register for this area, and which Royal College or professional body are you a member of?
Will you be the surgeon who carries out my procedure, and who looks after me afterwards?
What are the risks for someone like me, and how often do your own patients have a problem or need it repeated or redone?
What does a realistic result look like — and what can this procedure not achieve?
What are my options, including waiting, doing nothing for now, or choosing a different approach?
Can I have written information, results and aftercare instructions in a format I can use, including any accessibility or communication support I need?
What is the total cost in writing, including any follow-ups, and how much time do I have to decide?

Frequently asked questions

Is an oesophageal stent available on the NHS?

Yes. Oesophageal stenting is usually provided on the NHS, often as part of palliative care to relieve swallowing problems. Private care may be used for speed or choice of consultant.

Will a stent cure my cancer?

No. A stent relieves the symptom of difficulty swallowing by holding the gullet open. It does not treat the cancer itself, which is managed separately by your team.

Will I be awake during the procedure?

You are usually given sedation to make you drowsy and comfortable, along with a throat numbing spray, rather than a general anaesthetic. You will need someone to take you home afterwards.

What can I eat with a stent?

You will usually start with fluids and build up to a soft, moist diet. Eat slowly, chew well and take care with foods that block easily, such as lumps of meat and doughy bread. Your team will give written advice.

Can the stent be taken out?

Often not. Once a stent has been in place for more than a short time it usually cannot be removed, so the decision to place one is made carefully with your specialist team.

What happens if the stent blocks or moves?

If swallowing suddenly worsens, the stent may have blocked or moved. Contact your team, as you may need a repeat endoscopy to clear or reposition it, or to consider another option.

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How we made this page

Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant. Written in plain English, checked against NHS, NICE, GMC and relevant Royal College / specialist-society guidance, and kept under review. No clinic paid to appear on this page, and we publish no pricing. This is general information to help you prepare — it is not a substitute for advice from your own clinician. How we review our guides →

Source hierarchy: UK regulator and NHS/NICE guidance first, then relevant Royal College or specialist-society guidance, then peer-reviewed evidence for procedure-specific figures where available.

Sources & standards: Cancer Research UK — Oesophageal cancer treatment NICE NG83 — Oesophago-gastric cancer: assessment and management North Tees and Hartlepool NHS — Insertion of an oesophageal stent Palliative radiotherapy after oesophageal cancer stenting (ROCS trial) — PMC ESGE guideline — Esophageal stenting for benign and malignant disease

Reviews reflect patients' experience of care, not clinical outcomes. For procedure volumes and outcome data see PHIN.

Last medically reviewed 2026-09-21. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report an error in this guide.