Percutaneous placement of self-expandable metallic stents in patients with obstructive jaundice due to hepatocellular carcinoma

ABSTRACT

“Icteric type hepatoma” is a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with tumor invasion to the bile duct (bile duct tumor thrombus, BDTT) causing obstructive jaundice. Effective and long-term decompression of the bile duct is essential for the palliative treatment for the patients. Percutaneous self-expandable metallic stent placement is a well-established treatment for palliating patients with an inoperative malignant biliary obstruction. This article reviews the treatment of percutaneous placement of self-expandable metallic stents for the management of obstructive jaundice caused by HCC.