title: Palliative treatment for malignant jaundice: endoscopic vs surgical approach.
abstract: In this retrospective, comparative study a total of 107 patients, presenting with malignant inoperable strictures of common bile duct, due to a pancreatico-biliary malignancy, underwent palliative treatments. In a group, consisting of 82 patients (76.64%), endoscopic stenting procedures were performed; polyethylene stents or self-expanding metal stents were applied in 37 and 45 patients, respectively. The prerequisites for a successful endoscopic stenting were a) accuracy of diagnosis and b) exclusion of patients presenting with tumors potentially treatable by a curative resection. In the other group, consisting of 25 patients (23.36%), biliary-enteric bypass procedures were performed. Endoscopic treatment was successful in 97.5% of the cases (80/82); complication rate was 7.3% (6 patients on 82), and mortality rate was 3.6% (3 patients on 82). Median hospital stay was 13.4 and 7.3 days in patients treated with plastic stents and metallic stents, respectively. Bypass surgery was successful in 99% of the cases (24/25); complication rate was 24% (6 patients on 25), and mortality rate was 16% (4 patients on 25). Median hospital stay was 26 days. For the patients in whom a curative resection could not be performed, both the above mentioned methods resulted in a high rate of immediate technical and therapeutic success. However, the surgical approach showed a significantly higher rate in procedure-related mortality and morbidity; in addition, the hospital stay lasted longer in surgically treated patients. The patients who are definitely unsuitable for curative resection are better managed by positioning a stent. The use of metal stents should be preferred in those less serious patients who may supposedly survive longer.
authors.affiliation: Surgery Department "P. Stefanini", University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santagati
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ceci
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Donatelli
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Pasqualini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Silvestri
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pitasi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sportelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fiocca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001661:Biliary Tract Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D015904:Biliopancreatic Diversion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007565:Jaundice / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome