[Percutaneous transhepatic bile duct endoprosthesis. Choice of material, technic, clinical results]

Eighty biliary endoprostheses were introduced by the transhepatic route in sixty patients with obstructive jaundice. Complication rate was 21% (no mortality). Average survival time is sixteen weeks (maximum 53 weeks). In most patients, a 12 F teflon endoprosthesis was introduced four to five days after the initial catheter drainage. Patients in poor condition had a primary implant of a 9 F endoprosthesis. A combined transhepatic/transoral implantation was carried out five times. Results have shown that implantation of a prosthesis is as effective as a surgical bypass operation for palliation of obstructive jaundice and that it is better than catheter drainage. In-vitro experiments have indicated that failure of a 12 F prosthesis due to encrustation may be expected in about 23 weeks. This is in line with the survival time of patients with carcinomas.