Four years experience with short term stenting in primary sclerosing cholangitis

OBJECTIVE: Symptomatic dominant strictures in primary sclerosing cholangitis are often treated with endoscopic stent therapy, but the optimal treatment duration is not well established. After a promising pilot study, we now report our 4 yr experience with short term endoscopic stent therapy for relief of dominant strictures. METHODS: Between January 1994 and October 1997, 32 patients with symptomatic primary sclerosing cholangitis with a dominant stricture at endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography were treated with insertion of a 7- or 10-Fr polyethylene endoprosthesis, which was extracted after a mean of 11 days (range 1-23 days). Primary end points were changes in complaints and cholestasis after 2 months, and time interval until a repeat endoscopic treatment was deemed necessary. A secondary end point was the occurrence of treatment-related complications. RESULTS: Cholestatic complaints improved after 2 months in 83% of patients. Mean scores for pruritus, fatigue, and right upper quadrant pain decreased from 0.94, 1.0, and 0.87 to 0.26, 0.39, and 0.26, respectively. All improvements were significant. Of 14 patients presenting with jaundice, 12 regained normal serum bilirubin levels 2 months after short term endoscopic stenting. The mean levels of conjugated bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase dropped significantly from 36 micromol/L, 309 U/L, and 426 U/L to 7 micromol/L, 205 U/L, and 258 U/L, respectively. The reintervention-free proportions after 1 and 3 yr were 80% and 60%. Seven transient procedure-related complications occurred in 45 therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatographies. CONCLUSIONS: Short term endoscopic stenting for symptomatic dominant strictures in primary sclerosing cholangitis is effective and safe, and the beneficial effect is sustained for several years.