title: Endoscopic stenting for malignant biliary obstruction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the results of endoscopic stenting in patients with malignant biliary obstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surgical endoscopy unit at a tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plastic endoprosthetic stents were inserted for the relief of biliary obstruction in 131 consecutive patients. Among the 104 patients with malignant biliary obstruction, 60 underwent stenting as definitive palliative treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on the type and size of stents employed, their effectiveness in relieving jaundice, their complications, and the quality of survival were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median survival was 1.93 months. The majority of the stents (88.3%) were placed endoscopically, and single straight stents were most frequently used (96.7%). Jaundice was relieved in 35 patients. Early (< or = 14 days) and late acute cholangitis were found in four and 11 patients, respectively. Early and late stent migration was noticed in two and six patients, respectively. Pancreatitis occurred in one patient, and no papillotomy site bleeding was encountered. When compared with the 18 patients with proximal obstruction at or above the common hepatic duct, the 42 patients with distal ductal obstruction had longer median survival (P = .03) and more effective relief of jaundice (P = .005) and required less antibiotic treatment (P = .03). These 42 patients also enjoyed better quality of survival when it was analyzed with reference to six objective parameters (P = .0018).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stenting offers palliation of malignant biliary obstruction, and the results are particularly encouraging in distal obstruction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital.
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D002761:Cholangitis / Q000209:etiology; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D001651:Cholestasis, Extrahepatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D002780:Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D020698:Duodenoscopes; D004384:Duodenoscopy; D004867:Equipment Design; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006500:Hepatic Duct, Common / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007565:Jaundice / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016717:Sphincterotomy, Endoscopic / Q000295:instrumentation; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects; D015996:Survival Rate