Percutaneous Biliary Metallic Stent Insertion in Patients with Malignant Duodenobiliary Obstruction: Outcomes and Factors Influencing Biliary Stent Patency

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the technical and clinical efficacy of the percutaneous insertion of a biliary metallic stent, and to identify the factors associated with biliary stent dysfunction in patients with malignant duodenobiliary obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records of 70 patients (39 men and 31 women; mean age, 63 years; range, 38−90 years) who were treated for malignant duodenobiliary obstruction at our institution between April 2007 and December 2018, were retrospectively reviewed. Variables found significant by univariate log-rank analysis (p < 0.2) were considered as suitable candidates for a multiple Cox's proportional hazard model. RESULTS: The biliary stents were successfully placed in all 70 study patients. Biliary stent insertion with subsequent duodenal stent insertion was performed in 33 patients and duodenal stent insertion with subsequent biliary stent insertion was performed in the other 37 study subjects. The median patient survival and stent patency time were 107 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 78–135 days) and 270 days (95% CI, 95–444 days), respectively. Biliary stent dysfunction was observed in 24 (34.3%) cases. Multiple Cox's proportional hazard analysis revealed that the location of the distal biliary stent was the only independent factor affecting biliary stent patency (hazard ratio, 3.771; 95% CI, 1.157–12.283). The median biliary stent patency was significantly longer in patients in whom the distal end of the biliary stent was beyond the distal end of the duodenal stent (median, 327 days; 95% CI, 249–450 days), rather than within the duodenal stent (median, 170 days; 95% CI, 115–225 days). CONCLUSION: The percutaneous insertion of the biliary metallic stent appears to be a technically feasible, safe, and effective method of treating malignant duodenobiliary obstruction. In addition, a biliary stent system with a distal end located beyond the distal end of the duodenal stent will contribute towards longer stent patency in these patients.