Therapy for biliary stenoses and occlusions with use of three different metallic stents: single-center experience

The authors report their experience with three different metallic stents for the treatment of biliary obstructions during a 6.5-year period (between February 1989 and June 1995).

In an uncontrolled, nonrandomized, and prospective study, 168 patients with obstructive jaundice underwent transhepatic placement of metallic stents. Patients were excluded if they were deemed too ill for intervention or had incorrectable coagulopathy. Those patients undergoing external and/or intraluminal radiation therapy, and patients in whom an internal-external catheter was kept in place after insertion of a stent were not included. Inoperable malignant disease was diagnosed in 157 patients (93.5%). Eleven patients presented with a benign biliary stricture that could not be managed by means of angioplasty. One hundred fifty-five Wallstents were placed in 122 patients, 65 tantalum Strecker stents were placed in 30 patients, and 18 Memotherm stents were placed in 16 patients. The patients were followed until September 1996 or until death.

Regarding malignant obstruction, the 30-day mortality rate was 10.7% without any procedure-related death, and overall survival rates after 100 and 200 days were 63% and 22%, respectively. Regarding benign stricture, eight of 11 patients were alive after a median follow-up of 50.6 months without any 30-day mortality. Major complications occurred in 16 patients (10.2%) who had malignancy, and in two patients (18.2%) with benign biliary disease. The cumulative patency rate in malignant obstructions was significantly higher for the Wallstent than for the Memotherm stent (P < .05) and nonsignificantly higher for the Wallstent than for the tantalum Strecker stent (P > .05). Reintervention due to recurrent obstructive jaundice was necessary in 28 patients (17.8%) with malignancy, and in six patients (54.5%) with benign stricture.

The Wallstent is the most effective in achieving long-term palliation in patients with malignant obstructive jaundice. The treatment of benign biliary strictures with metallic stents is associated with a low long-term patency rate.