Migration of a biliary stent causing duodenal perforation and biliary peritonitis

Migration of endoscopically placed biliary stents is a well-recognized complication of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Less than 1% of migrated stents however cause intestinal perforation. We present a case of a migrated biliary stent that resulted in duodenal perforation and biliary peritonitis.     

恶性胆管梗阻内支架置入后再梗阻的研究现状

通过内镜置入胆道内支架引流是目前治疗恶性胆管梗阻的首选措施,然而内支架再梗阻却是当前困扰临床的主要问题.近年来,国内外在探讨支架阻塞的机制,通过多种方法防治以延长引流时间等方面进行了广泛而深入的研究,此文就此作一综述.     

Microwave coagulation versus insertion of a second stent for occluded biliary metal stent.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: There is no consensus regarding optimal management of self-expandable metallic stent occlusion. We investigated the efficacy of microwave coagulation therapy for recanalization as compared to second stent placement. METHODOLOGY: Sixty patients with malignant obstruction of the common bile duct were treated with metal stent placement from January 1992 to July 1999. Of these, 13 patients subsequently developed stent occlusion due to tumor ingrowth. We compared stent patency and patient survival rates after microwave coagulation to those after insertion of a second stent. The influence of the duration of patency of the first stent on the second stent patency was also evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 13 patients with stent occlusion, 7 were treated with microwave coagulation therapy, and 6 with insertion of a second metal stent. In all cases, occluded stents were successfully recanalized without any complications. There was no significant difference in duration of first stent patency between the two groups. The median duration of second stent patency was prolonged in microwave-treated patients (152 days vs. 104 days, P > 0.05). The median duration of patient survival after last recanalizing procedure was also prolonged in microwave-treated patients (131 days vs. 78 days, P > 0.05). Microwave energy did not induce destruction of the stent filament. CONCLUSIONS: Microwave coagulation did not offer significantly longer duration of stent patency and patient survival compared to insertion of a second metal stent. However, this procedure is safe, feasible, and certainly as good as a second stent placement. It may be an alternative to insertion of a second stent within the occluded stent.     

ERCP放置胆管内支架姑息治疗难以切除的恶性胆管梗阻

目的探讨ERCP放置胆管内支架对难以切除的恶性胆管梗阻的临床治疗效果。方法对54例恶性肿瘤引起的梗阻性黄疸患者,经ERCP将导丝插入胆管并超过梗阻部位,扩张狭窄处,用推送导管将已经选择合适的引流支架置于胆管适当部位,其两端均超过梗阻段2cm以上。结果54例患者中51例插管成功,3例插管不成功的患者中1例乳头开口于憩室内,另2例肿瘤完全阻塞导丝无法通过。成功率为94.44%(51/54)。34例胆管内放置8FZ型自膨胀式金属支架,其余20例行8～10F塑料内支架引流。术后黄疸逐渐消退,皮肤瘙痒等症状消失或减轻。其中39例2周内血清总胆红素下降50%以上,血清总胆红素退至34μmol/L以下。放置胆管内支架1周后,患者血清总胆红素由术前235.45±56.67μmol/L降至78.36±37.58μmol/L,肝功能较术前显著改善(P<0.05,P<0.01)。31例胆总管下段梗阻患者与12例肝门部胆管梗阻患者相比,放置胆管内支架引流治疗1周、2周后,其胆红素下降明显优于肝门部胆管梗阻患者(P<0.01)。34例放置胆管金属支架患者中,有12例于术后2个月发生支架阻塞,再次放置塑料内支架后引流通畅,1例放置金属支架术后患者第10个月出现支架阻塞予以再次植入金属支架。另外20例放置塑料内支架者,有3例于术后1～4周出现血清总胆红素再次上升,经ERCP检查发现支架移位和阻塞,予以更换内支架,其中1例植入塑料双支架。结论经ERCP内镜下胆管放置内支架,对解除恶性胆管梗阻性黄疸、缓解症状、提高患者生存质量具有满意疗效,对胆总管下段梗阻性黄疸的疗效优于肝门部胆管梗阻。     

Successful endoscopic ultrasound-guided overstenting biliary drainage through a pre-existing proximal migrated metal biliary stent

Biliary endoscopic drainage using metallic self-expanded stents has become a well-established method for palliative treatment of malignant biliary obstruction. However, its occlusion, mainly by tumor overgrowth, is still the main complication without a standard treatment. We here describe a new method of treatment for biliary metallic stent occlusion, through the echo guided biliary drainage. We present a 68-year-old patient with metastatic pancreatic cancer previously treated for jaundice with ERCP and self-expandable metallic stent insertion. Four weeks later, the patient developed jaundice and symptoms of gastric outlet obstruction. A new ERCP confirmed obstruction of the second portion of the duodenum, due to diffuse tumor growth. EUS was performed, and the previous metal biliary stent was seen occluded at the distal portion in the common bile duct. A EUS-guided choledocododenostomy was performed and then, an overlapping self-expanding metal enteral stent was placed through the malignant obstruction. There were no early complications and the procedure was also clinically effective in relieving jaundice and gastric outlet obstruction symptoms. If ERCP fails in the management of occluded biliary metallic stents, EUS biliary drain can provide effective biliary decompression and should be considered an alternative to other endoscopic techniques.     

In vivo evaluation of a new bioabsorbable self-expanding biliary stent

BACKGROUND: Bioabsorbable stents may offer advantages for the treatment of benign and malignant biliary strictures, including large stent diameter, decreased biofilm accumulation and proliferative changes, elimination of the need for stent removal and imaging artifacts, and prospects for drug impregnation. However, suboptimal expansion has hampered prior iterations. A new bioabsorbable biliary stent (BioStent) was evaluated in a porcine model. METHODS: BioStents were placed in 8 animals for long-term follow-up. The following were evaluated: accuracy and ease of delivery and deployment, radial expansion, and radiologic visualization. Stent function and biotolerance were assessed by cholangiography, serum bilirubin, and necropsy for histopathology performed in pairs at 2, 4, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS: Stents were delivered without sphincterotomy and were deployed easily, accurately, and with good immediate stent expansion and radiographic visualization. On follow-up, all stents were fully expanded and serum bilirubin levels remained within the normal range. Although there was no clinical evidence of biliary obstruction, filling defects were common at cholangiography. On histopathologic evaluation, there was neither bile duct integration or proliferative change. CONCLUSIONS: The BioStent bioabsorbable biliary stent, modified with axial runners, can be effectively deployed endoscopically, is self-expanding, is visualized radiographically, and remains patent up to 6 months. There was no bile duct integration or proliferative change, which are potential advantages. Stent occlusion and migration remain concerns.     

Drug-eluting stent in malignant biliary obstruction

Introduction

In unresectable malignant bile duct obstruction, endoscopic stent insertion is the treatment of choice. However, the current stent allows only mechanical palliation of the obstruction, and has no anti-tumor effect. Currently, in the vascular field, the drug-eluting stent (DES) is very highly favored.

Material and methods

The requirements for a DES in a non-vascular tract, such as the bile duct, are far different from those of a DES to be used in the vascular tract. The non-vascular DES must suppress tumor proliferation as well as mucosal hyperplasia. For example, the non-vascular stent might be covered with a membrane that gradually releases a chemo-agent. We do not have much experience with DES in the bile duct. Nonetheless, we are continuously testing many anti-tumor agents in animal and human studies.

Conclusion

We expect and hope DES will work effectively for tumor cells in diverse ways and, more importantly, will prolong stent patency and the patients’ survival periods. But considerable investigation and a clinical study of DES will be required to achieve these goals.     

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary stent placement using Soehendra stent retriever.

Symptomatic bilary obstruction with duodenal nar-rowing requires either surgical or percutaneous biliary drainage procedure. We report a 54-year-old woman suffering from carcinoma of the head of pancreas, who had combined duodenal and bilary obstruction and underwent successful endoscopic ultrasound-guided transduodenal biliary stent placement.