1995 Volume 37 Issue 2 Pages 370-376
In the period of Nov. 1993 to June 1994, endoscopic biliary endoprosthesis using Wallstent was successfully performed in 4 patients (2 with pancreatic, l with bile duct and 1 with hepatocellular carcinoma), aged 71 up to 91 years, with obstructive jaundice due to malignant biliary stenosis. In 3 of the 4 patients, serum bilirubin levels reduced to less than 2.0 mg/dl and enabled the patients to be discharged after stenting, with the exception of a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The patient with HCC showed a transient elevation of serum bilirubin or "rapid obstruction" sign. A patient with pancreatic carcinoma died 123 days after endoprosthesis without jaundice. A patient with pancreatic carcinoma and one with bile duct carcinoma (with "stent in stent" into previous tranhepatic Wallstent implantation performed 8 months before) were alive at home without reccurent jaundice for 30 days and 103 days respectively. In conclusion, we suggested that the introduction of endoscopic Wallstent stenting to the management of obstructive jaundice would contribute to the improved quality of life in patients with malignant biliary stenosis.
