Covered self-expanding transhepatic biliary stents: Clinical pilot study

Purpose: We report our preliminary results with a new type of self-expanding covered stent for treatment of malignant biliary obstruction. Methods: Wallstents, fully covered with high elasticity polyurethane, with an unconstrained diameter of 10 mm and a total length of 69 mm, were placed transhepatically under fluoroscopic guidance in five patients. The length of the biliary obstruction varied between 30<+>–<+>50 mm. At 1 and 3 months (82<+>–<+>98 days) clinical assessment, serum bilirubin measurement, and ultrasound examination of the biliary tree were performed. Results: Initial uncomplicated deployment of the stents and internal drainage was possible in all patients. Distal stent migration resulted in early biliary reobstruction in one patient. At 3-month follow-up, partial reobstruction, most probably due to sludge formation, was found in another patient. Conclusion: Our initial results indicate that the covered, self-expanding Wallstent endoprosthesis can be reliably and safely deployed transhepatically for malignant biliary obstruction.