[Treatment of malignant and benign biliary obstructions with metal stents]

The palliative treatment of malignant biliary tract obstructions using a metal stent is now an established procedure in clinical practice. An endoscopic, transpapillary approach is the first choice for implantation of the stent. If it is not possible to insert the stent in this way, which is often the case with high obstructions, a percutaneous approach is chosen. It appears to be beneficial to use a metal stent with a fine-meshed net such as, for example, the Wall stent. Metal stents have a higher patency rate than plastic stents so that the primary choice of a metal stent is justified. Coated stents have not yet shown any major advantages. In cases of stent occlusion, the coaxial implantation of a plastic stent seems to be the most efficient. In cases of benign biliary tract stenoses, a metal stent should only be implanted after a careful evaluation of all possible surgical modalities and exploitation of balloon dilatation and long-term splinting methods.