Stent Insertion for Inoperable Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma: Comparison Between Unilateral Radioactive Stent and...

Area of Science:

• Interventional Gastroenterology
• Oncology
• Biliary Interventions

Background:

• Hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC) presents complex treatment challenges, often requiring palliative biliary drainage.
• Stent placement is a common intervention for managing biliary obstruction in inoperable HC.
• Comparing radioactive stents (RS) with normal stents (NS) is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of unilateral radioactive stent (RS) insertion versus bilateral normal stent (NS) insertion.
• To evaluate outcomes in patients with inoperable hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC).

Main Methods:

• A comparative analysis of patients with inoperable HC treated between January 2016 and December 2020.
• Two groups were analyzed: unilateral RS insertion and bilateral NS insertion.
• Efficacy and safety parameters including technical success, clinical success, restenosis, stent patency, overall survival, and complications were assessed.

Main Results:

• Technical and clinical success rates were comparable between unilateral RS (98.3%, 98.2%) and bilateral NS (94.7%, 100%) groups.
• No significant difference in stent restenosis or postoperative complications was observed between the groups.
• Unilateral RS insertion resulted in significantly longer stent patency (202 vs. 119 days) and overall survival (229 vs. 122 days) compared to bilateral NS.

Conclusions:

• Both unilateral RS and bilateral NS insertion demonstrate favorable therapeutic efficacy for inoperable HC.
• Unilateral RS insertion provides superior stent patency and overall survival benefits compared to bilateral NS.
• Radioactive stents represent a promising option for improving long-term outcomes in HC management.