Use of long term aprepitant as a treatment for refractory nausea following oesophageal stent insertion – a case report

Background: Aprepitant, a substance P neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist, is licenced for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with highly and moderately emetogenic cancer chemotherapy. Case: A 33 year-old male with metastatic gastro-oesophageal cancer had multiple admissions for refractory nausea and vomiting following insertion of an oesophageal stent. Action: Mechanical issues with the stent, stent removal and central causes were excluded. Multiple anti-emetic agents were trialled in combination and with varying routes of administration without significant symptomatic improvement. Formulation: A trial of aprepitant was proposed as an off-licence therapy. Outcome: One hundred sixty-five milligrammes of aprepitant was given orally every 3 days and then up titrated to once daily with significant symptomatic improvement enabling the patient to tolerate an oral diet. The patient remained stable at 12 weeks and has been accepted into two clinical trials for potential further cancer treatment. Lessons: Aprepitant can be effective in refractory nausea and vomiting outside of emetogenic chemotherapy and safely used as a chronic treatment. The prevalence of refractory nausea and vomiting as a rare adverse outcome post-oesophageal stent insertion should be studied. What now? Further research of neurokinin-1 inhibitors for indications other than chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting is indicated.

An Elegant Solution to a Ruptured Right Aberrant Subclavian Artery after Oesophageal Stent Removal

Arterioenteric or arteriotracheal fistula is a known complication of an aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) and is often associated with prolonged nasogastric or endotracheal intubation or oesophageal stenting. Fistula formation from the ARSA can present unexpectedly with rapid exsanguination with massive haemoptysis or haematemesis, and unless promptly recognised and treated is rapidly fatal. We present a novel endovascular method for treating a fistula between the oesophagus, trachea and an ARSA in an unstable patient following oesophageal stent removal, utilising a covered iliac limb stent, eliminating the need for an open surgical approach.

Cardiac tamponade and purulent pericarditis secondary to an oesophageal pericardial fistula as an initial presentation of squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus

Pericardial effusions resulting in a cardiac tamponade have previously been reported with oesophageal cancers. However, most of these cases have been reported in association with radiation and chemotherapy. Rarely as oesophageal pericardial fistuls (OPF) have been reported as the culprits in causing pericardial effusions in patients with oesophageal cancers. Here we present the case of a 61-year-old woman who presented clinically with cardiac tamponade. She was found to have an OPF due to oesophageal squamous cell cancer that resulted in a purulent pericardial effusion. She underwent a median sternotomy, pericardial decompression, and mediastinal debridement. An oesophageal stent was attempted unsuccessfully. The patient refused any more aggressive treatments and was discharged to a hospice where she passed away 13 days after presentation. This case and the associated literature review highlights an unusual presentation of oesophageal cancer and an uncommon cause of cardiac tamponade.