Transpapillary Gallbladder Stents Can Stabilize or Improve Decompensated Cirrhosis in Patients Awaiting Liver Transplantation

To describe the short-term and long-term outcomes in 34 consecutive decompensated cirrhotic patients with symptomatic gallbladder disease undergoing transpapillary gallbladder stent (TGS) placement.

Endoscopic TGS placement is a minimally invasive means of treating symptomatic gallbladder disease in poor surgical candidates.

Between June 2005 and June 2011, 34 patients with cirrhosis and symptomatic gallbladder disease underwent attempted TGS placement.

Median patient age was 52 years, 56% were hospitalized, and 48% were listed for liver transplantation. The median model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score was 15 (range, 6 to 40) and 88% were Child-Turcotte-Pugh class B/C. A double pigtailed stent was successfully placed in 94% of the patients. At 1-month follow-up, clinical improvement was noted in 82% of the treated subjects and the MELD scores in 14 of 22 (64%) evaluable subjects improved or stabilized. Actuarial transplant-free survival was 53% in the liver transplant candidates with a mean follow-up of 352 days, whereas survival was 44% in the 18 nontransplant candidates with a mean follow-up of 1.5 years. Periprocedural complications included pancreatitis in 5 patients, cholangitis in 3, and 1 patient with cystic duct perforation. In addition, 2 subjects had symptomatic bleeding from traumatic duodenal ulcerations 2 years after TGS placement that necessitated stent removal.

Endoscopic TGS placement was technically feasible in 94% of decompensated cirrhotics and was associated with a relatively low rate of periprocedural (26%) and long-term complications (6%). Stabilization or improvement in clinical status and MELD scores was seen in the majority of treated patients.