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Updated: May 11, 2026
Fabrication of Small Caliber Stent-grafts Using Electrospinning and Balloon Expandable Bare Metal Stents
Published on: October 26, 2016
Self expandable metal stents for anastomotic stricture following liver transplant
Jorge Cerecedo-Rodriguez1, Melissa Phillips, Paola Figueroa-Barojas
1Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
Background:
Endoscopic treatment for biliary strictures with plastic stent placement has been used widely. The use of covered self-expandable metal stents (CSEMS) has been reported in anastomotic strictures post liver transplant. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of different CSEMS in these subjects.
Methods:
A total of 55 patients with anastomotic stricture received CSEMS, which were removed after 3-4 months. There were 19 patients in group A (partially covered SEMS), 21 patients in group B (fully covered SEMS with fins) and 15 patients in group C (fully covered SEMS with flared ends). Technical success, stricture resolution, follows up, and complications were documented.
Results:
CSEMS were successfully deployed in all 55 cases. There was no evidence of significant difference with regards to stricture resolution (14 [74%] vs. 15 [71%] vs. 9 [60%] p=0.6630, df=2) or complications between groups. Stent-related complications were as follows: three in group A (2 migration, 1 occlusion), five in group B (4 occlusions, 1 migration), and one proximal migration in group C (p=0.3894, df=2). Three cases required surgery (hepatico-jejunostomy) due to refractory strictures.
Conclusions:
The observed clinical success rate of CSEMS (70.4%) proved to be below the reported one for multiple plastic stents, while no significant differences between CSEMS types were observed.
