Malignant biliary obstruction: treatment with self-expandable metallic stents

In a 3-year period, 57 self-expandable metallic biliary stents (Wallstent) were successfully placed in 49 patients with malignant biliary obstruction. Thirty-three of our patients have died. In this group follow-up was 1–12 months with a mean of 4.5 months and stent patency was 1–12 months with a mean of 4.3 months. Sixteen patients are still alive. In this group, follow-up was 2–26 months with a mean of 8.4 months and stent patency was 1–18 months with a mean of 6.8 months. In 4 patients a secondary stent was used due to malpositioning during deployment. In 1 patient bilateral drainage was achieved with two stents. Four patients required 5 reinterventions due to reocclusion, with a reocclusion rate of 9.4 %; 3 of them were treated with secondary metallic stents, 1 with a conventional stent and the remaining 1 with balloon dilatation. Thirty-day mortality rate was 8.1 % and procedure-related mortality was 2 %. Major and minor complication rates were 10 % and 22 %, respectively. Self-expandable metallic stents provide good palliation in patients with malignant biliary obstruction.Correspondence to: M. N. Özmen