[Endoscopic and transhepatic intubation of malignant bile duct strictures for postoperative jaundice]

Out of 625 patients referred for stenting for a malignant stricture of the biliary tract, 97 (15.8%) had undergone previous surgery. Resection had been performed in 43 cases, by-pass in 15, surgical stenting in 11, laparotomy in 28. The stricture was located in the porta hepatis in 48 patients (49.5%) in the middle common bile duct (CBD) in 47 (48.5%) and juxtapapillary in 2 (2%). Endoscopic retrograde transhepatic stenting was successful in 51 patients (52.5%). Percutaneous transhepatic stenting was successful in 41 cases out of 46 (85%) and in 5 cases, only external drainage was possible. A 75% reduction in serum bilirubin was observed in 78 patients (81.5%) and normalization was observed in 66 (90%) who survived more than one month. The complication rate was 31.3% in the endoscopic group and 47.7% in the percutaneous transhepatic group, with a mortality related to early complications of 9.8% and 19.6% respectively. The higher complication rate of transhepatic stenting is at least partially related to an unfavourable selection of patients in this group: failures of endoscopic stenting, high frequency of hilar strictures. The mortality at D 30 was 24%, significantly higher in hilar strictures than in middle CBD strictures (p less than 0.02). A late obstruction of the stent occurred in 43 patients (58%) after an interval of 103 +/- 52 days, and endoscopic retreatment was possible in 65% of cases. The median survival was 153 days in subhilar strictures and 104 days in hilar strictures. These results justify considering the possibility of palliative stenting after failure of a surgical treatment especially in peri-ampullary and middle CBD strictures.