[Percutaneous biliary drainage in obstructions due to malignant pathology]

Experience with percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PBD) in 68 cases of malignant biliary obstructions, is described. 78 procedures (11 external drains, 36 internal-external drains, 17 soft endoprosthesis and 14 self-expandable metallic stents), were performed between December 1989 and December 1991. No significant differences in terms of results were found between internal endoprosthesis and metallic stents. The mortality rate of the procedure was 1.47% (1 case). Complications for the internal prostheses were: obstructions 8 (25.8%), dislodgement 2 (6.5%), cholangitis 1 (3.2%) and metastases along the catheter tract 1 (3.2%). Considering this, the Authors prefer the endoprosthesis instead of external or internal-external drainages.