[The experience of biliary self-expendable nitinol stents for malignant jaundice]

to analyze the effectiveness and possible complications of endoscopic biliary drainage (BD) using self-expanding metal stent (SEMS) in patients with malignant jaundice (MJ).

From January 2010 to January 2014 in endoscopy department of Pirogov National medical and surgical Center were operated 64 patients with MJ, 38 of them with SEMS. The average patient's age was 65.4 ± 14.5 years. The mean duration of jaundice was 13 ± 5.4 days before drainage. The remaining 6 patients (15.8%) were operated with preliminary PTBD. In all 38 patients were diagnosed unresectable tumors.

successful endoscopic BD were achieved in all 38 patients. 35 patients were drained with transpapillary SEMS and 3 patients with EUS-guided choledochoduodenoanastomoses (EUS-CDA). Early postoperative complications were observed in 3 (7.8%) patients with no lethality.

endoscopic BD with SEMS is an effective method of internal drainage for inoperable pancreatobiliary tumors, providing adequate BD for the entire duration of life expectancy. In case of failed transpapillary drainage EUS-guided biliodigestive anastomoses were performed. The complication rate of endoscopic BD in patients with malignant pancreatobiliary tumors in our study was 7.8% and comparable with complication level due to ERCP/EST for benign pathology.