title: Bile Duct Anastomosis Supplied With Biodegradable Stent in Liver Transplantation: The Initial Experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The most common biliary complications after orthotopic liver transplantation are bile leaks, anastomotic and intrahepatic strictures, stones, and ampullary dysfunction. These complications can occur in up to 10% to 30% of liver transplant recipients. Leaks occur early in the posttransplant period; the stricture formation typically graduates over time.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients underwent transplantation in our preliminary study: 5 were randomized to the group with stent placement and 5 to the control group. We investigated the role of an absorbable biliary stent with the goal of proving patency of duct-to-duct biliary anastomosis. The stents are made of machine-knitted polydioxanone monofilaments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our initial results show that duct-to-duct biliary reconstruction using an absorbable internal stent had good patency in all 5 patients. There were no signs of biliary leakage accompanying the anastomoses in any of the cases, and there was no stone formation observed after liver transplantation. The biliary stent was completely absorbed, with no adverse effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on our initial experience and data, we concluded that biodegradable stents can be successfully and safely used in clinical practice. Further large prospective randomized studies are needed to estimate the efficacy of the bioabsorbable stents.
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Surgery, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic. Electronic address: 6342@seznam.cz.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Janousek
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Surgery, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maly
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Surgery, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oliverius
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Surgery, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kocik
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Surgery, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kucera
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Surgery, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fronek
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000601:surgery; D001662:Biliary Tract Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome