Efficacy of Self-Expandable Absorbable Stents During Liver Transplant to Minimize Early Biliary Complications

We analyzed the use of a self-expandable absorbable biliary stent (SEABS) to reduce biliary complications in liver transplant (LT).

Complications related to biliary anastomosis are still a challenge in LT, with a high impact on patient outcomes and hospital costs.

This nonrandomized prospective study was conducted between July 2019 and September 2023 in adult LT patients with duct-to-duct biliary anastomoses. The primary endpoint was to assess early biliary complications at 90 days in LT patients with intraoperative SEABS versus no SEABS. We also compared overall biliary complications, costs, and SEABS adverse effects related.

A total of 158 patients were included, 78 with SEABS and 80 no-SEABS (22 T-tube and 58 no-stent). There were no adverse effects related to SEABS. Early biliary complications (23.8 vs 2.6%, P <0.001) and hospital stay (19 vs 15 days, P = 0.001) were higher in no-SEABS. No-SEABS group required 63 endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and 13 surgeries (including 2 LT) versus 35 endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and 2 surgeries in SEABS group. After PSM between SEABS (n=58) versus no-SEABS (n=58), early biliary complications (22.4% vs 0%, P <0.001) were higher in no-SEABS group. T-tube had more early biliary complications (22.7% vs 5%, P =0.23) compared with SEABS high-risk biliary anastomosis. SEABS excess cost per patient was lower compared with T-Tube and no-stent (6.988€ vs 17.992€ vs 36.364€, P =0.036 and 0.002, respectively).

SEABS during biliary anastomosis in LT is feasible with no adverse effects and avoids the T-tube in high-risk biliary anastomoses. Its use has been associated with less early biliary complications, hospital costs, and reoperations or interventional treatments for biliary complications resolution.