Use of Metallic Stents in Benign Biliary Strictures: Mid- and Long-Term Results. In: Rossi P, Bezzi M, editors. Biliary Tract Radiology. Berlin: Springer Berlin Heidelberg; 1997. pp. 213-22. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-60343-3_18]

Metallic stents in benign biliary strictures: long-term effectiveness and interventional management of stent occlusion

OBJECTIVE

The objective of our study was to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of metallic stent placement in the treatment of benign biliary strictures and to report our experience with interventional procedures for the management of stent occlusion to achieve secondary patency.

CONCLUSION

The clinical course of these patients is compromised by repeated stent occlusions, caused by stone or mucosal hyperplasia. The results of primary stent patency are disappointing with the primary patency rate decreasing from 75% after 12 months to 25% after 36 months. The different interventional procedures used to restore bile flow make an important contribution to the secondary stent patency and provide a satisfactory clinical result in a patient subpopulation in whom stent placement is considered the last resort.