title: Self-expandable nitinol stent for the management of biliary obstruction: long-term clinical results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Technical characteristics and clinical efficacy of a new metallic stent for the management of biliary obstruction were investigated in a clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  From February 1991 to January 1993, 35 self-expandable, nickel-titanium alloy wire-mesh stents (diameter, 10 mm; length, 6 cm) were placed in 19 patients with obstructive jaundice due to cholangiocarcinoma (n = 6), pancreatic carcinoma (n = 5), lymph node metastasis to the liver hilum (n = 5), gallbladder carcinoma (n = 2), and intraductal papillary mucosal hyperplasia (n = 1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stent placement was successful in 18 of 19 patients. In one patient, stent dislodgement occurred after correct release; no other procedure-related complications or deaths occurred within 30 days following the procedure. Two (11%) of the remaining 18 patients are alive at 11 months; 16 (89%) died after a mean survival of 7.4 months. Two of three patients with stent obstruction underwent repeated intervention. Adequate palliation from jaundice was achieved without further intervention in 83% of cases. The mean stent patency was not less than 7 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of these metallic stents reestablished bile flow in the occluded biliary tree. Their efficacy and patency rate were also adequate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bezzi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Orsi
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Salvatori
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maccioni
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000497:Alloys; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000150:complications; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; C013616:nitinol