ABSTRACT
AIM: To compare the clinical effectiveness of percutaneous stent placement between T and criss-cross configuration techniques in patients with advanced malignant hilar biliary obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2009 and December 2014, 59 patients who underwent percutaneous stent placement for malignant hilar obstruction were included in this retrospective study. T-configured stent placement (T group) was performed in 33 patients and criss-cross configured stent placement (criss-cross group) in 26 patients. Technical and clinical success, complications, patient survival, and stent patency were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Stent placement was technically successful in all patients of the two groups. Clinical success was achieved in 30 (90.9%) patients of T group and 25 (96.9%) of criss-cross group (p=0.62). Two patients in the T group (6.1%) required additional stent placement for internal drainage of undrained sector. There were no major complications. Median survival was not statistically different between the two groups (128 days in the T group versus 183 days in the criss-cross group; p=0.33). Stent occlusion occurred in 15 patients in the T group and seven patients in the criss-cross group. The stent patency of the criss-cross group (median 330 days) was longer than that of the T group (median 132 days; p=0.0007). CONCLUSIONS: Early clinical effectiveness is comparable between the two techniques; however, additional intervention is occasionally required for drainage of an undrained sector after T-configured stent placement. Stent placement with criss-cross configuration provides longer stent patency than T-configuration technique.
Subject(s)
Bile Duct Neoplasms/complications , Cholestasis/etiology , Cholestasis/therapy , Klatskin Tumor/complications , Palliative Care/methods , Stents , Aged , Bile Ducts/diagnostic imaging , Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance , Cholestasis/diagnostic imaging , Drainage/methods , Female , Humans , Male , Retrospective Studies , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
AIM: To compare the therapeutic efficacy of fluoroscopy-guided radiofrequency ablation (F-RFA) and ultrasound-guided RFA (US-RFA) in treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2006 and January 2012, 93 patients with small HCCs underwent percutaneous RFA. In 42 patients with 46 HCCs invisible on US, F-RFA was performed following intra-arterial iodised oil injection (group A). The remaining 51 patients with 58 HCCs received US-RFA (group B). Technical effectiveness, complications, local tumour progression, and patient survival were retrospectively compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Technical effectiveness was achieved in 45 HCCs of group A (97.8%) and 64 HCCs of group B (96.6%; p=0.65). There was no major complication in either group. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year local tumour progression rates were lower in group A than those of group B with marginal significance (0%, 3.7% and 3.7% in group A, and 13%, 13%, and 13% in group B; p=0.05). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year patient survival rates were 100%, 58.3%, and 51.2% (group A), and 82.4%, 54.9%, and 46.1% (group B; p=0.26). CONCLUSIONS: F-RFA is a feasible and safe treatment for small HCC invisible on US. Its therapeutic efficacy was comparable with that of US-RFA.
