Background and Aims

Partially covered metal stents have been extensively used for palliation of obstructive jaundice in malignant distal biliary stricturesand can be removed in cases of malfunction or need for tissuediagnosis. We investigated independent predictors of mortality in patients undergoing partially covered metal stents revision (i.e., removal and replacement).

Methods

Patients with a distal malignant biliary obstruction palliated with a partially covered metal stent were followed-up prospectively over 5 years until malfunction or death. All patients who required removal of their partially covered metal stents were captured in a specific database. Multivariate analysis was performed on non-surgical patients to assess for independent predictors of death using known risk factors including type of malignancy (adenocarcinoma versus all others), age greater than 55, gender, and exposure to adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.

Results

Forty-two patients (28 men, mean age of 62 ± 12 years) underwent partially covered metal stents removal. Of these, biliary drainagewas achieved in 38 patients by placement of a new partially covered metal stent (n = 32) or plastic stent (n = 6). The remaining 4 patients did not undergo stent replacement because of refusal (2), resolution of obstruction (1) and unrelated death (1). Long-term follow-up post removal in patients who were not surgical candidates (n = 31) was 35 weeks (95% CI 28–40), with a survival rate of 29% at 10 months. Logistic regression analysis in the 31 patients with unresectable disease showed that a histologic diagnosis of adenocarcinoma was associated with increased mortality post partially covered metal stents revision.

Conclusions

Partially covered metal stents revision should be undertaken especially when dealing with a non-adenocarcinoma type cancer.