Endoscopic microwave coagulation therapy (EMCT) was successfully applied to two male patients aged 94 and 84 with obstructive jaundice due to upper bile duct and lower bile duct carcinoma, because of their refusal of resection. A single 15-second exposure of microwave (30 W) was delivered during each treatment to the cancerous tissue using a monopolar shielded wire electrode under guidance of percutaneous cholangioendoscopy. Treatment was repeated a total of two times at interval of a week and no complication was encountered. Patients have subsequently lived for 26 and 20 months without jaundice. These results indicate that EMCT for patients with bile duct cancer without no metastasis and high operative risk might be an effective therapy for local control.
