Study of Percutaneous Stent Placement with Iodine-125 Seed Strand for Malignant Biliary Obstruction

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of simultaneous placement of a self-expandable metallic stents (SEMS) and iodine-125 seed strand in the management of malignant obstructive jaundice (MOJ).

This study included 132 patients with MOJ treated from November 2015 to October 2017. Forty-five patients underwent insertion of SEMS with iodine-125 seed strands (Seeds group); the remaining 87 patients underwent SEMS placement alone (Control group). Technical success was defined as accurate, successful deployment of SEMS with or without iodine-125 seed strand; clinical success was defined as 20% reduction in serum bilirubin within 1 week after the procedure, compared with baseline. Complications, duration of primary stent patency, and overall survival were evaluated.

Technical success was achieved in all patients in both groups. In the Seeds group, an average of 14 seeds (range 8-22) were implanted in the bile duct as a strand. Clinical success rates were similar between the groups (Seeds group, 93.3%; Control group, 95.4%). Major complications occurred in only one patient, in the Control group. The median period of primary stent patency was significantly longer in the Seeds group (194 days) than in the Control group (86 days; P = 0.049). The median overall survival was also significantly longer in the Seeds group (194 days) than in the Control group (96 days; P = 0.031).

SEMS combined with iodine-125 seed strands is effective and safe in the management of MOJ and can improve stent patency and patient survival.