Efficacy of endoprosthesis for internal biliary drainage in patients with nonresectable carcinoma of the proximal bile duct.

Surgical endoprosthesis as an internal biliary drainage was performed as a palliative treatment for 12 patients with a nonresectable carcinoma of the proximal bile ducts. In most of these patients jaundice was relieved, they were able to return to their homes, and their survival was substantially prolonged. The efficacy of this procedure was more favorable, compared to the results in patients in whom external drainage or cholangiojejunostomy was performed.