Percutaneous intervention for bilioenteric anastomotic strictures: Current strategies and future directions

ABSTRACT

Postoperative bilioenteric anastomotic strictures are encountered in a significant number of patients after primary biliary repair, hepatopancreaticobiliary tumor resection, and liver transplantation. Due to difficulties with repeat surgery and endoscopic access, percutaneous dilation has become the accepted treatment in these cases. While the overall paradigm of percutaneous access, balloon dilation, and catheter stenting remains consistent, institutional protocols differ in several technical variables including balloon sizes, inflation techniques, catheter sizing, and overall time course of treatment, amongst others. The current review aims to discuss various treatment protocols and their relative efficacy, as well as touch on emerging techniques.