ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: A method of treatment for malignant bile duct strictures depends on early diagnosis, location and extent of tumor infiltration. Patients eligible for radical surgery should be operated. AIM OF THE STUDY: The authors used plastic and metal prostheses in the treatment of biliary tract cancer cholestasis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis was done in 2730 endoscopies performed in the Laboratory of the Department of Endoscopic Surgery, 4th Military Hospital in Wroclaw in 2008-2011. The authors analyzed 441 cases of prosthetic biliary cancer. RESULTS: 223 patients (51%) were treated for pancreatic head tumor, 98 pts (22%)--for papilla of Vater tumor, 85 pts (19%)--due to Klatskin tumor and 35 pts (8%)--due to tumor of the gallbladder. Plastic prostheses were inserted in 228 (65.4%) patients, self-expanding metal prostheses--in 21 patients (4.9%). Dilatation of the bile duct or the inserted prosthesis was performed in 48 (11.1%) pts. 27 patients (6.1%) had endoscopic treatment failure. 32 patients (7.3%) had following complications of biliary prosthesis: bleeding into the bile duct, into the digestive tract--4 cases (1%), the migration of the prosthesis--7 (1.6%), cholangitis--21 cases (4.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Palliative biliary stenting is a safe method that provides efficient drainage of bile. It shows a definitive advantage over percutaneous, biliary transhepatic drainage.
