title: Percutaneous transhepatic biliary stenting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bilary stenting with endoprosthesis is a palliative procedure to relieve malignant biliary obstruction. Percutaneous transhepatic technique has been employed whenever endoscopic technique was not possible or had failed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Angiography/intervention suite, department of radiology, Aga Khan University hospital, Karachi.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present retrospective analysis of 17 patients with malignant jaundice who were treated with percutaneous techniques after the endoscopic route had failed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The success rate was 94% with placement of single plastic stent in 14 patients, double stents in 3 patients and self-expandable stent in one patient. The overall complication rate was 41% including sepsis, liver abscess, biloma formation, biliary leakage and stent occlusion. There was one procedure related death due to severe sepsis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Percutaneous transhepatic biliary stenting is an alternative procedure to relieve malignant biliary obstruction with high complication rate and should be reserved for selected patients in whom endoscopic route has failed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: T U
authors.initials: TU
authors.lastname: Haq
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanaullah
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mohsin
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Sheikh
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ahmed
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001651:Cholestasis, Extrahepatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents