Occlusive jaundiced caused by liver metastases. Results of endoscopic surgical treatment

: The results of endoscopic drainage treatment in 69 patients with metastases of the liver have been analyzed for the period from 1982 to 1992. Fifty-five patients had follow-up. Criteria for inclusion were: positive diagnosis of liver metastases, jaundice, and primary origin of tumors distant from the pancreaticobiliary system ("distant" primary). Localisations of metastic obstructions were: hilum of the liver (n = 24), commonbile duct (n = 16), and prepapillary region (n = 15). Treatment was performed by transpapillary applications of one or more (n = 3) pig-tail or Tannenbaum stents. Concentrations of mean serum bilirubin could be reduced from 14.5% to 8.8 mg%, 16 patients reached a normal level (less than 1.0 mg%). The median survival time was 76 days ranging vom 4 to 299 days. The most frequent complication was cholangitis in 29% of the cases with mortality in 6 patients. Patients less than 60 years of age and with obstructions in the mid commonbile duct gained most by this kind of treatment. Results were poor in elderly patients with hilar stenosis. Selected patients with known liver metastases may benefit from endoscopic treatment of jaundice.