title: Biliary stricture dilatation: multicenter review of clinical management in 73 patients.
abstract: Eighty-nine biliary strictures in 73 patients who had undergone percutaneous balloon dilatation were reviewed to determine long-term patency rates and clinical management problems. The majority of dilatations were performed in patients with anastomotic strictures (n = 44), iatrogenic strictures (n = 28), and strictures associated with sclerosing cholangitis (n = 17). Patency rates after 36 months or more were 67%, 76%, and 42%, respectively. Complications, mostly minor, occurred in less than 7% of patients. Of patients with significant biliary obstruction, 15% had little or no intrahepatic biliary duct dilatation demonstrated by cross-sectional imaging and/or direct cholangiography. No definite conclusions could be drawn about the utility of long-term internal/external stenting.
mesh_terms: D001649:Bile Duct Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D002761:Cholangitis / Q000150:complications; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D004106:Dilatation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies