BILIARY STENTING FOR MALIGNANT STRICTURE OF THE BILE DUCT

Biliary stenting is used as a standard procedure for the relief of jaundice in patients with non-resectable malignant stricture of the bile duct. The stents available in the market are variously characterized, and surgeons must select an appropriate one for each disease status. For the stricture of the middle and/or lower part of the bile duct, covered metallic stent is superior to plastic stent in the patency period, however, there are questions as to the use of metallic stents in light of cost-effectiveness and development of complications of stenting. And, the stent selection for the stricture of the hilar part of the bile duct has not been fully studied, which remains a problem yet to be resolved. In the use of metallic stent, it is difficult to manage when stent occlusion or complication occurs, and it holds the risk of developing a very serious complication. In the use of plastic stent, however, long-term patency cannot be expected, which is also a problem yet to be resolved.