"Tannenbaum" Teflon stents versus traditional polyethylene stents for treatment of malignant biliary stricture.
BACKGROUND
Premature stent clogging is the major limitation with plastic stents used in the treatment of malignant biliary structures. A pilot study suggested improved duration of patency of the Tannenbaum stent compared with polyethylene stents. The aim of this prospective, multicenter randomized trial was to compare the Tannenbaum Teflon stent with a conventional polyethylene endoprosthesis (Cotton-Leung biliary stent set) for the treatment of malignant biliary strictures.


METHODS
Patients over age 18 years with symptoms caused by nonhilar malignant biliary strictures were enrolled. Patients were randomized to receive a 10F Tannenbaum or polyethylene stent after a guidewire was passed beyond the stricture. One hundred six patients (mean age 72 years and 71 years, respectively) were enrolled (54 Tannenbaum, mean age 72 years; 52 polyethylene, mean age 71 years).


RESULTS
Tannenbaum and polyethylene stent placement was successful in, respectively, 100% and 96% of procedures without complications. The mean (SD) 90-day stent patency of the Tannenbaum stent was 67% (7%) compared with 73% (7%) for the polyethylene stents.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study demonstrated no difference in ease of implantation or stent patency between Tannenbaum and polyethylene stents.
Catalano
Marc F
MF
Pancreatic Biliary Center, St. Luke's Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI 53215, USA.
Geenen
Joseph E
JE
Lehman
Glen A
GA
Siegel
Jerome H
JH
Jacob
Leslie
L
McKinley
Matthew J
MJ
Raijman
Isaac
I
Meier
Peter
P
Jacobson
Ira
I
Kozarek
Richard
R
Al-Kawas
Firas H
FH
Lo
Simon K
SK
Dua
Kulwinder S
KS
Baille
John
J
Ginsberg
Gregory G
GG
Parsons
William
W
Meyerson
Scott M
SM
Cohen
Seth
S
Nelson
Douglas B
DB
McHattie
James D
JD
Carr-Locke
David L
DL
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003137:Common Bile Duct Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D020959:Polyethylene; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D020959:Polyethylene