title: Percutaneous intraductal radiofrequency ablation is a safe treatment for malignant biliary obstruction: feasibility and early results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous clinical studies have shown the safety and efficacy of this novel radiofrequency ablation catheter when used for endoscopic palliative procedures. We report a retrospective study with the results of first in man percutaneous intraductal radiofrequency ablation in patients with malignant biliary obstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine patients with inoperable malignant biliary obstruction were included. These patients underwent intraductal biliary radiofrequency ablation of their malignant biliary strictures following external biliary decompression with an internal-external biliary drainage. Following ablation, they had a metal stent inserted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following this intervention, there were no 30-day mortality, hemorrhage, bile duct perforation, bile leak, or pancreatitis. Of the 39 patients, 28 are alive and 10 patients are dead with a median survival of 89.5 (range 14-260) days and median stent patency of 84.5 (range 14-260) days. One patient was lost to follow-up. All but one patient had their stent patent at the time of last follow-up or death. One patient with stent blockage at 42 days postprocedure underwent percutaneous transhepatic drain insertion and restenting. Among the patients who are alive (n = 28) the median stent patency was 92 (range 14-260) days, whereas the patients who died (n = 10) had a median stent patency of 62.5 (range 38-210) days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this group of patients, it appears that this new approach is feasible and safe. Efficacy remains to be proven in future, randomized, prospective studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Tbilisi State Medical University, Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Malkhaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mizandari
authors.forename: Madhava
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pai
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.forename: Vlastimil
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Valek
authors.forename: Andrasina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomas
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Quaretti
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Golfieri
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mosconi
authors.forename: Ao
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guokun
authors.forename: Charis
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kyriakides
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dickinson
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nicholls
authors.forename: Nagy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Habib
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D002758:Cholangiography; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000601:surgery*; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome