Clinical application of expandable metallic stents to obstructive jaundice

Expandable metallic biliary endoprosthesis (EMBE)

Abstract

Gianturco expandable metallic stents were used to treat obstructive jaundice in 5 paients,4with extrahepatic bile duct cancer and one with postoperative biliary stricture. In 3 of 5 cases, high-dose-rate intracavitary irradiation with remote afterloading systm (RALS) was performed previously. Insertion of stents was succeeded in all cases, and in 4 of 5, all stents expanded sufficiently enough to remove the external drainage catheter. No obstructive jaundice was noted at follow-up of 4-37 weeks. These stents and intracavitary irradiation may offer effective treatment of malignant biliary obstructions.