Preoperative Biliary Decompression Preceding Pancreaticoduodenectomy With Plastic or Self-Expandable Metallic Stent

Background and Aims:The rainage (PBD) prior to pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is controversial. If PBD is required, large bore self-expandable metallic stents (SEMS) are thought to maintain better drainage and have fewer postoperative complications than plastic stents. The confirming evidence is scarce. The aim of the study was to compare outcomes of surgery in patients who underwent PBD with SEMS or plastic stents deployed at endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).Material and Methods:This is a retrospective study of 366 patients having had PD during 2000–2009. Preceding endoscopic PBD was performed in 191 patients and nine had had percutaneous transhepatic drainage (PTD). At the time of operation, 163 patients had a plastic stent and 28 had SEMS. Due to stent exchanges, 176 plastic stents and 29 SEMS were placed in all.Results and Conclusions:The stent failure rate was 7.4% for plastic stents and 3.4% for SEMS (p = 0.697). A bilirubin level under 50 µmol/L was reached by 80% of the patients...