Endoscopic stent for palliating malignant and benign biliary obstruction

Objective: To study the techniques of placement of memory alloy plating gold biliary stent and plastic stent for palliation of malignant and benign biliary obstruction, and to assess its clinical effectiveness. Methods: The patients in plastic stent group included paplilla of duodenum inflamational strictures (n=24), common bile duct inflammational inferior segment strictures (n=4), choledocholithiasis (n=5), bile leak (n=11), bile duct surgery injurey (n=7) and pancreatic carcinoma (n=1). The patients in plating gold stent group included common bile duct carcinoma (n=5) and pancreatic carcinoma (n=6). Under fluoroscopic guidance the stent was inserted into biliary obstruction sites from oral cavity in all cases. Complications, liver function and blood serum amylase were investigated during the study period. Results: Successful stent placement was achieved in all cases. After operation of 7 days, in gold biliary stent groups, the rates of decrease of blood serum total bilirubin, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, r-glutamyl transpeptidase and alkaline phosphatase were 67.16%, 58.37%, 40.63% and 41.54% respectively. In plastic stent group, the rates of decrease of STB, ALT, r-GT and AKP were 53.24%, 55.03%, 37.15%, 34.12% respectively. Early complication included post-ERCP pancreatitis and cholangititis. Occlusion of stent was the major late complication. Conclusion: Memory alloy plating gold biliary stent and plastic stent were safe and efficacious methods for malignant and benign biliary obstruction, and could improve patient’s living quality. Plastic stent was an efficient complement for therapy of bile leak and bile duct injury.