[Treatment of jaundice caused by neoplastic obstruction of the bile ducts with percutaneous placement of endoprostheses: 53 cases].

From October 1983 to October 1985, 53 patients with malignant biliary obstruction were referred to our institution for a transhepatic biliary stent. One or two endoprostheses were inserted in 46 patients (87 p. 100). Stent insertion was usually performed in two sessions, after two or three days of external drainage. There were 23 men and 23 women. Their mean age was 70.6 years +/- 12 years (m +/- DS). Fourty-two patients (91 p. 100) were referred after failure of an endoscopic or surgical drainage procedure; fourty-four p. 100 of the patients had stage II or III high periportal obstruction. Five cases of severe early complications (11 p. 100) and 8 delayed complications requiring in-hospital treatment (17 p. 100) were observed. Among the latter, 7 were due to plugging of the endoprosthesis. All patients were unfit for surgery either because at a high operative risk or because of the extent of the cancer. Our results showed that percutaneous biliary drainage can be achieved in a high percentage of cases following failure of a surgical or endoscopic drainage procedure. The endoscopic transpapillary approach, which allows the insertion of 12 French endoprostheses in one session should be tried first. Percutaneous biliary drainage should be performed as a complementary procedure when endoscopic drainage has failed or in stage II or III high periportal obstruction associated with persistent jaundice or cholangitis.