Treatment of benign biliary strictures in chronic pancreatitis by self-expandable metal stents

AIM: To determine the efficacy the value of self-expandable metal stents in patients with benign biliary strictures caused by chronic pancreatitis. METHOD: 61 patients with symptomatic common bile duct strictures caused by alcoholic chronic pancreatitis were treated by interventional endoscopy. RESULTS: Initial endoscopic drainage was successful in all cases, with complete resolution of obstructive jaundice. Of 45 patients who needed definitive therapy after a 12-months interval of interventional endoscopy, 12 patients were treated with repeated plastic stent insertion (19.7%) or by surgery (n = 30; 49.2%). In 3 patients a self-expandable metal stent was inserted into the common bile duct (4.9%). In patients treated with metal stents, no symptoms of biliary obstruction occurred during a mean follow-up period of 37 (range 18-53) months. The long-term success rate of treatment with metal stents was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic drainage of biliary obstruction by self-expandable metal stents provides excellent long-term results. To identify patients who benefit most from self-expandable metal stent insertion, further, prospective randomized studies are necessary.     

Endoscopic ultrasound guided therapy of benign and malignant biliary obstruction: a case series

OBJECTIVES: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography is an established method for treatment of common bile duct stones as well as for palliation of patients with malignant pancreaticobiliary strictures. It may be unsuccessful in the presence of a complex peripapillary diverticulum, prior surgery, obstructing tumor, papillary stenosis, or impacted stones. Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage and surgery are alternative methods with a higher morbidity and mortality in these cases. Recently, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guided biliary stent placement has been described in patients with malignant biliary obstruction. We describe our experience with this method that was also used for the treatment of cholangiolithiasis for the first time. METHODS: The EUS guided transduodenal puncture of the common bile duct with stent placement was performed in 5 patients. In 2 of these patients, the stents were removed after several weeks and common bile duct stones were extracted. In another patient with gastrectomy, the left intrahepatic bile duct was punctured transjejunally and a metal stent was introduced transhepatically to bridge a distal common bile duct stenosis. RESULTS: Biliary decompression was successful in all 6 patients. No immediate complications occurred. One patient developed a subacute phlegmonous cholecystitis. CONCLUSIONS: Interventional EUS guided biliary drainage is a new technique that allows drainage of the biliary system in benign and malignant diseases when the bile duct is inaccessible by conventional ERCP.     

WHICH TYPES OF DRAINAGE TUBE SHOULD WE SELECT FOR ENDOSCOPIC BILIARY DRAINAGE? CURRENT STATUS

Biliary drainage is a standard procedure for cholangitis or obstructive jaundice due to biliary obstruction. However, criterion for the selection of types of drainage tube is not established. The authors analyzed the types of drainage tube used in the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, during the month of June 2005, and they treated 63 cases. For drainage for cholangitis (31), the authors used endoscopic naso‐biliary drainage (ENBD) tube in 74.1% and plastic stent in 25.9%. In contrast, for the cholestesis cases (16), the authors used ENBD tube in 37.5% and plastic stent in 63.5%. For the unresectable biliary malignancy cases (8) with improved jaundice, the authors used covered metallic stent in seven distally stricture cases and uncovered metallic stent in one proximally stricture case. The remaining eight cases received plastic stent placement. There were six cases of residual common bile duct stones and two cases of prevention of cholangitis after papillectomy. For the patients with unresectable biliary malignancies at distal portion, the authors consider that covered metallic stent is a standard endoprosthesis. For drainage for cholangitis, the authors used ENBD tube because bile juice flow is able to be checked any time. However, the authors used plastic stent rather than ENBD tube for the drainage of cholestesis. A larger study for selection of drainage tube for these aspects is needed in the future.     

Stent versus surgery

Following the introduction of percutaneous and endoscopic biliary drainage there has been an ongoing debate about the indications and outcomes of endoscopic versus surgical drainage in a variety of bilio-pancreatic disorders. The evidence-based literature concerning four different areas of pancreatobiliary diseases have been reviewed. Preoperative endoscopic biliary drainage in patients with obstructive jaundice should not be used routinely but only in selected patients. For patients with biliary leakage and bile duct strictures after a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, endoscopic stent therapy might be first choice and surgery should be used for failures of endoscopic treatment. Surgery is the treatment of choice after transection of the bile duct (the major bile duct injuries). The majority of patients with obstructive jaundice due to advanced pancreatic cancer will undergo endoscopic drainage but for relatively fit patients with a prognosis of more than 6 months, surgical drainage or even palliative resection might be considered. For patients with persistent pain due to chronic pancreatitis surgical drainage combined with limited pancreatic head resection might be first choice for pain relief. Most importantly, the management of patients with these pancreatobiliary diseases should be performed by a multidisciplinary HPB approach and teamwork consisting of gastroenterologists, radiologists and surgeons.     

肝门区转移癌所致梗阻性黄疸的内镜支架引流治疗临床效果分析

目的探讨内镜治疗肝门区转移癌所致梗阻性黄疸的临床应用价值。方法2006年开始随机选择自愿应用内镜治疗的晚期肝门区转移癌所致梗阻性黄疸患者,应用内镜胆道塑料内支架技术解除胆道梗阻,观察操作成功率、生存期等评价指标。共治疗肝门转移癌梗阻性黄疸患者38例,其中肝癌13例,胆囊癌3例,胃癌14例,食管癌2例,回肠腺癌1例,胰腺癌5例。结果所有患者治疗成功且临床黄疸完全消退,随访生存期92～521d,平均（185．42±104．41）d。随访观察5例患者更换胆道支架,更换时间3～14个月,平均（8．6±4．1）个月,其中支架移位1例,胆泥阻塞2例,肿瘤阻塞2例。结论内镜支架引流术是肝门区转移癌所致梗阻性黄疸的一种有效治疗方法,具有较高的治疗成功率,可以一定程度延长患者的生存期。     

Removal of an embedded "covered" biliary stent by the "stent-in-stent" technique

A 46-year-old man was admitted with obstructive jaundice and cross-sectional imaging with computed tomography suggested distal biliary obstruction.A distal common bile duct stricture was found at endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)and cytology was benign.A 6 cm fully covered self-expanding metal stent(SEMS)was inserted across the stricture to optimize biliary drainage.However,the SEMS could not be removed at repeat ERCP a few months later.A further fully covered SEMS was inserted within the existing stent to enable extraction and both stents were retrieved successfully a few weeks later.Fully covered biliary(SEMS)are used to treat benign biliary strictures.This is the first reported case of inability to remove a fully-covered biliary SEMS.Possible reasons for this include tissue hyperplasia and consequent overgrowth into the stent proximally,or chemical or mechanical damage to the polymer covering of the stent.Application of the stent-in-stent technique allowed successful retrieval of the initial stent.     

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.     

Percutaneous expandable metallic stent biliary endoprostheses used inmalignant and benign obstructive jaundice

AIM To evaluate the effects of expandable metallic stent biliary endoprostheses (EMSBE) viaultrasonographic guided percutaneous transhepatic approach on the treatment of benign and malignantobstructive jaundice.METHODS Thirty-eight patients with obstructive jaundice (29 males and 9 females) aged 27 to 69 years(mean 54.7 years) were studied. Of them, 4 were benign and 34 malignant obstructions. Percutaneoustranshepatic cholangiography (PTC) was performed under ultrasonic guidance. A catheter was introducedinto the dilated bile duct via the introducer. A guide wire was inserted through the occlusive part of biliary duct after dilating with a double-lumen balloon catheter. A self-expandable metallic stent was inserted intcthe occlusive bile duct under fluoroscopic control.RESULTS The success rate of sonographic guided PTC was 100% (38/38) and the success rate of stentimplantation was 86.8% (33/ 38). Biliary obstruction was eliminated immediately, jaundice subsidedgradually and symptoms relieved after the procedure. During the 3 to 28 months fellow-up, re-occlusionoccurred in 4 malignant cases which were corrected by balloon catheter dilation and/or by stent, one patienthad secondary cholangitis and fifteen died without jaundice 6 - 28 months after the procedure. The otherswere alive with no jaundice. No severe complications or side effects were observed.CONCLUSION EMSBE via sonographic guided percutaneous transhepatic approach is a reliable and safepalliative therapy for malignant jaundice and an ideal nonoperative method for benign biliary obstruction. Ithas a definite positive impact on the quality of patient life.     

ENDOSONOGRAPHY‐GUIDED BILIARY DRAINAGE IN CASES WITH DIFFICULT TRANSPAPILLARY ENDOSCOPIC BILIARY DRAINAGE

Background: Recently, reports on a new endoscopic biliary drainage technique utilizing endosonographic guidance (endosonography‐guided biliary drainage [ESBD]) have been increasing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of ESBD in cases with difficult transpapillary endoscopic biliary drainage (EBD). Patients and Methods: Sixteen patients with obstructive jaundice who underwent ESBD because of difficult EBD between January 2007 and September 2008 were included. The technical success, complications, and clinical efficacy of ESBD were prospectively evaluated. Results: ESBD was performed via the duodenum, stomach, and esophagus in eight, six and two patients, respectively. Stent placement was successful in all cases and excellent biliary decompression was achieved in all but one patient. One patient developed localized peritonitis following guidewire migration and re‐puncture of the bile duct. In another patient, stent migration was observed one week after ESBD and re‐ESBD was carried out. Three patients underwent surgery for their primary diseases, and stent exchange was carried out in 10 patients during the course. Conclusions: ESBD is an effective treatment for obstructive jaundice that will replace percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage in cases of difficult EBD and is a possible alternative to EBD in selected cases.     

Endoscopic biliary stenting in a district general hospital.

During a 48 month period to December 1990, 367 patients, median age 75 years, with obstructive jaundice caused by common bile duct stones (201), malignant biliary obstruction (148), and benign biliary strictures (18), underwent therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Endoscopic biliary stenting and drainage was achieved in 343 of 367 patients attempted (93%), seven patients requiring a combined percutaneous endoscopic approach. Endoscopic stenting failed in 24 patients because of malignant duodenal infiltration (10), Billroth 2 gastrectomy (6), tight and extensive biliary strictures (6), peripapillary diverticulum (1), and technical failure (1). Prolonged follow up was available in 91% (311 of 343). The 30 day mortality was 5% (17 of 343), which included two procedure related deaths (0.6%) from fulminant pancreatitis and major sphincterotomy site bleeding. Early complications occurred in 14% (48 of 343) and late complications occurred in 11.9% (35 of 294) patients, as of the original 343, 17 had died within 30 days and another 32 were lost to follow up. Eighty patients with incomplete bile duct clearance and eight patients with benign biliary strictures had biliary stents inserted for 12-48 months (median 30). Endoscopic biliary stenting services are necessary in a district general hospital with technical success, death and morbidity rates comparable to other studies.     

Primary Gastrointestinal Lymphoma Complicated by Common Bile Duct Obstruction: Report of Two Cases

This report describes two cases, a case of primary small intestinal lymphoma and a case of gastroduodenal lymphoma both producing obstructive jaundice due to invasion of the common bile duct. Oesophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed the lesions and the endoscopic biopsies confirmed the diagnosis of lymphoma in both the cases. Ultrasound examination of the biliary system, followed by percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography, delineated the dilated biliary tree with distal obstruction of the common bile ducts. While radiotherapy alone was sufficient in the case of primary small intestinal lymphoma; drainage procedures were required in the case of gastroduodenal lymphoma to relieve the obstruction of the common bile duct.     

ENDOSCOPIC TREATMENT FOR THE BENIGN BILIARY STRICTURE IN THE PATIENT WITH CHRONIC PANCREATITIS

In some patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP), strictures are observed in the intrapancreatic bile ducts due to fibrosis and inflammation in the pancreas. Normally, even when biliary strictures exist, obstructive jaundice is rarely observed. It seemed that obstructive jaundice was brought about by temporary pancreatitis due to immoderate alcohol ingestion, followed by the aggravation of the intrapancreatic biliary stricture. When immoderate alcohol ingestion is incriminated for the pancreatic disorder, the patient should be strictly instructed to abstain from alcohol, but failure to observe this instruction seems to render endoscopic biliary stenting ineffective. When CP is complicated with pancreatolithiasis, stone fragmentation using extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is effective, and combination with endoscopic lithotomy makes it possible to remove pancreatic stones in the main pancreatic duct (MPD). To treat the beside dilating stricture of the MPD, balloon dilation and pancreatic duct stenting are performed. We obtained good results with 10 Fr pancreatic duct stents, but biliary strictures are better treated with a combination of these methods. When 10 Fr or larger straight biliary stents are used, they may be dislodged or stray if the bile duct is sharply curved. To prevent this accident we have used 10 Fr double layer stents and obtained good results. In patients with benign biliary strictures, stents are temporarily placed and should be removable. Some cases have been reported where Wallstent gave good results in a short period, but the stents were occluded due to hyperplastic proliferation of the biliary epithelium. Metal stents are not considered desirable for benign biliary strictures. Our results seem to support the assumption that benign biliary strictures are improved with 10 Fr or larger biliary stents while exercizing care to keep the patient abstinent from alcohol and performing ESWL and endoscopic treatment for CP.     

ENDOSCOPIC ULTRASOUND‐GUIDED CHOLEDOCHODUODENOSTOMY

Endoscopic biliary drainage (EBD) may be unsuccessful in some patients, because of failed biliary cannulation or tumor infiltration, limiting endoscopic access to major papilla. The alternative method of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage carries a risk of complications, such as bleeding, portal vein thrombus, portal vein occlusion and intra‐ or extra‐abdominal bile leakage. Recently, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)‐guided biliary stent placement has been described in patients with malignant biliary obstruction. Technically, EUS‐guided biliary drainage is possible via transgastric or transduodenal routes or through the small intestine using a direct access or rendezvous technique. We describe herein a technique for direct stent insertion from the duodenal bulb for the management of patients with jaundice caused by malignant obstruction of the lower extrahepatic bile duct. We think transduodenal direct access is the best treatment in patients with jaundice caused by inoperable malignant obstruction of the lower extrahepatic bile duct when EBD fails.     

Biliopancreatic fistula with portal vein thrombosis caused by a pancreatic pseudocyst

We encountered a very rare case of biliopancreatic fistula with portal vein thrombosis caused by pancreatic pseudocyst. A 57-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of abdominal pain, obstructive jaundice, and portal vein thrombosis due to acute pancreatitis. Computed tomography showed a 7-cm-diameter pseudocyst around the superior mesenteric vein extending towards the pancreatic head, dilatation of the intrahepatic bile duct, and portal vein thrombosis. Endoscopic retrograde pancreatography revealed a main pancreatic duct with a pseudocyst communicating with the common bile duct. After pancreatic sphincterotomy, a 7-F tube stent was endoscopically placed into the pseudocyst. However, a 6-F nasobiliary tube could not be inserted into the bile duct because the fistula had a tight stenosis. Subsequently, the patient’s abdominal pain improved, the pancreatic cyst disappeared, and the serum amylase level normalized. Two months after the endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage was required because the patient’s jaundice became aggravated. Two weeks after the choledochojejunostomy, the patient left the hospital in good condition. A follow-up computed tomography showed cavernous transformation of the portal vein and no pancreatic pseudocyst. The patient remains asymptomatic for 2 years and 7 months after surgery. Biliary drainage may be necessary for biliopancreatic fistula with obstructive jaundice in addition to pancreatic cyst drainage. Biliopancreatic fistula can be treated by endoscopic procedure in some cases; however, surgical treatment should be required in cases that are impossible to insert a biliary stent because of hard stricture.     

Long-term outcome of endoscopic therapy in patients with bile duct injury after cholecystectomy

Background and Aim:  Bile duct lesions, including leaks and strictures, are immanent complications of open or laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Endoscopic procedures have gained increasing potential as the treatment of choice in the management of postoperative bile duct injuries.
Methods:  Between January 1996 and December 2006, 44 patients with biliary leakages and 12 patients with biliary strictures after cholecystectomy were identified by analyzing the endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography database, clinical records, and cholangiograms. The long-term follow up of endoscopic treatment in biliary lesions after cholecystectomy was evaluated by this retrospective study.
Results:  In 34 of 35 patients (97%) with peripheral bile duct leakages, endoscopic therapy was successful. Transpapillary endoprothesis and/or nasobiliary drainage were removed after 31 (5–399) days. After stent removal, the median follow-up period was 81 (11–137) months. In patients with central bile duct leakages, the success rate after median 90 (4–145) days of endoscopic therapy was 66.7% (6/9 patients). The median follow up after stent removal in six successfully treated patients was 70 (48–92) months. Eleven of 12 patients (91.6%) with bile duct strictures had successfully completed stent therapy. The follow-up period of this patient group was 99 (53–140) months.
Conclusions:  Endoscopic treatment of bile duct lesions after cholecystectomy is effective, particularly in patients with peripheral bile duct leakages and bile duct strictures. Therefore, it should be the first-line therapy used in these patients. Although endoscopic management is less successful in patients with central bile duct leakages, an attempt is warranted.     

Long-term prognosis of patients with endoscopically treated postoperative bile duct stricture and bile duct stricture due to chronic pancreatitis

Aim:  To compare the outcome of endoscopic therapy for postoperative benign bile duct stricture and benign bile duct stricture due to chronic pancreatitis, including long-term prognosis.
Methods:  The subjects were 20 patients with postoperative benign bile duct stricture and 13 patients with bile duct stricture due to chronic pancreatitis who were 2 years or more after initial therapy. The patients underwent transpapillary drainage with tube exchange every 3 to 6 months until being free from the tube. Successful therapy was defined as a stent-free condition without hepatic disorder.
Results:  Endoscopic therapy was successful in 90% (18/20) of the patients with postoperative bile duct stricture. The stent was removed (stent free) in 100% (20/20) of the patients, but jaundice resolved in only 10% (2/20) of patients while biliary enzymes kept increasing. Restricture occurred in 5% (1/20) of the patients, but after repeat treatment the stent could be removed. In patients with bile duct stricture due to chronic pancreatitis the therapy was successful in only 7.7% (1/13) of the patients; the stent was retained in 92.3% (12/13) of the patients during a long period. Severe acute pancreatitis occurred in 3.0% (1/33) of the patients as an accidental symptom attributable to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP); however, it remitted after conservative treatment.
Conclusion:  Our results further confirm the usefulness of endoscopic therapy for postoperative benign bile duct strictures and good long-term prognosis of the patients.     

An endoscopic approach to biliary complications following orthotopic liver transplantation

Abstract: Biliary complications following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) may be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In this report, we reviewed our endoscopic experience of managing post OLT biliary complications in 79 patients over a 12‐year period. Methods: OLT (n = 423) recipients between 10/86 and 12/98 were obtained from the transplant registry at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. OLT recipient who underwent at least one endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) were identified through a radiology database. Indications, findings and interventions performed were noted for each ERC report. Outpatient and inpatients medical records were reviewed for outcome and complications. Results: Seventy‐nine (79/423, 18.7%) patients had at least one ERC for suspected biliary complication. Sixty‐four (15.1%) patients had at least one or more biliary complications. The mean follow‐up for patients with abnormal ERC was 33.9 months. Nineteen patients had bile leaks; 10 of these patients had leak at the exit site of the T‐tube and five patients had at the anastomosis. Biliary stenting with or without endoscopic sphincterotomy led to resolution of bile leak in 16 patients. Three patients failed endoscopic therapy: one underwent surgery and two had percutaneous drainage. Twenty‐five patients presented with biliary strictures. Nineteen strictures were at the anastomotic or just proximal to the anastomosis, one at the hilum (ischemic in nature) and three were at the distal, recipient common bile duct; one had strictures at the anastomosis as well as the distal recipient bile duct and another had diffuse intrahepatic strictures. Seventeen patients in the stricture group improved with endoscopic intervention. One patient was re‐transplanted (diffuse intrahepatic strictures), but no patient underwent percutaneous drainage. Conclusions: ERC is safe and effective in the diagnosis and management of biliary complications following liver transplantation with choledochocholedochal anastomosis and obviates the need for surgical or percutaneous transhepatic approaches in majority of cases.     

Fascioliasis: a report of five cases presenting with common bile duct obstruction

Fascioliasis is a zoonotic infection caused by Fasciola hepatica. It is rarely seen with icterus caused by obstruction of the common bile duct. We report five patients with obstructive jaundice due to Fasciola hepatica, who were diagnosed and managed with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). All cases were admitted to hospital with complaints of icterus and pain in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen; their biochemical values were interpreted as obstructive jaundice. Ultrasound and computer tomography (CT) revealed biliary dilatation in the common bile duct, but did not help to clarify the differential diagnosis. ERCP showed the presence of Fasciola hepatica in the common bile duct. After removing the flukes, the symptoms disappeared and the biochemical values returned to normal. Biliary fascioliasis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of obstructive jaundice. This report confirms the diagnostic and therapeutic role of ERCP in patients with obstructive jaundice caused by biliary fascioliasis.     

Management of common bile duct stricture caused by chronic pancreatitis with metal mesh self expandable stents.

Twenty patients with chronic pancreatitis and signs of biliary obstruction were treated by endoscopic placement of self expandable metal mesh stents, and followed up prospectively. Eleven had been treated previously with plastic endoprostheses. All had persistent cholestasis, seven patients had jaundice, and three overt cholangitis. Endoscopic stent placement was successful in all cases. No early clinical complication was seen and cholestasis, jaundice or cholangitis rapidly resolved in all patients. Mean follow up was 33 months (range 24 to 42) and consisted of clinical evaluation, ultrasonography, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). In 18 patients, successive ERCPs and cholangioscopies have shown that the metal mesh initially embeds in the bile duct wall and is rapidly covered by a continuous tissue by three months. The stent lumen remained patent and functional throughout the follow up period except in two patients who developed epithelial hyperplasia within the stent resulting in recurrent biliary obstruction, three and six months after placement. They were treated endoscopically with standard plastic stents with one of these patients ultimately requiring surgical drainage. No patient free of clinical or radiological signs of epithelial hyperplasia after six months developed obstruction later. This new treatment could become an effective alternative to surgical biliary diversion if further controlled follow up studies confirm the initial impression that self expandable metal mesh stents offer a low morbidity alternative for longterm biliary drainage in chronic pancreatitis without the inconvenience associated with plastic stents.     

Endoscopic treatment for biliary stricture secondary to chronic pancreatitis

The causes of benign biliary stricture include chronic pancreatitis, primary/immunoglobulin G4-related sclerosing cholangitis and complications of surgical procedures. Biliary stricture due to fibrosis as a result of inflammation is sometimes encountered in patients with chronic pancreatitis. Frey's procedure, which can provide pancreatic duct drainage with decompression of biliary stricture, can be an initial treatment for chronic pancreatitis with pancreatic and bile duct strictures with upstream dilation. When patients are high-risk surgical candidates or hesitate to undergo surgery, endoscopic treatment appears to be a potential second-line therapy. Placement of multiple plastic stents is currently considered to be the best choice as endoscopic treatment for biliary stricture due to chronic pancreatitis. Temporary placement with a fully covered metal stent has become an attractive option due to the lesser number of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) sessions and its large diameter. Further clinical trials comparing multiple placement of plastic stents with placement of a covered metal stent for biliary stricture secondary to chronic pancreatitis are awaited.