Long-term follow-up after endoscopic biliary stent placement for bile duct strictures from laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
OBJECTIVE
The outcome of endoscopic biliary stent insertion for postoperative bile duct stenosis was retrospectively evaluated.


METHODS
Fifty-seven patients with biliary stenosis from laparoscopic cholecystectomy were included from February 1992 to January 2000. One to three stents were inserted for an average of 12.4 months, with stent exchange every 3 months to avoid cholangitis caused by clogging.


RESULTS
Successful stent insertion was achieved in 43/57 (75.4%) patients. Stent insertion failed in 10 patients with complete and in 4 patients with incomplete biliary obstruction. Early complications occurred in 4 patients. Late complications occurred in 5/43 patients. Five patients experienced recurrence of stenosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Endoscopic treatment should be the initial management of choice for postoperative bile duct stenosis.
Department of Surgery and Advanced Technolgoies, Service of Surgical Digestive Endoscopy, University Federico II, School of Medicine, Naples, Italy. gdepalma@arrotino.it
Giovanni D
GD
De Palma
Giuseppe
G
Galloro
G
G
Romano
Roberto
R
Sottile
A
A
Puzziello
Francesco
F
Persico
Stefania
S
Masone
Orazio
O
Labianca
Giovanni
G
Persico
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000473:pathology*; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents