Purpose: To determine initial and long-term results of metal stent placement in biliary strictures that failed to respond to balloon dilation.
Materials and methods: Sixty-one metal stents were placed in 36 liver transplant recipients (age range, 3 months to 71 years) with biliary strictures that failed to respond to balloon dilation. Patients were followed up for up to 5 years.
Results: Initial stent placement was successful in all patients. Primary patency was 44% at 3 years and was 0% at 5 years; secondary patency was maintained at 88% at those intervals. Patency associated with the Gianturco Z stent was superior to that with the Palmaz stent. Stents located at anastomotic sites had higher patency rates than those at nonanastomotic sites. Major stent-related complications occurred in eight patients and included two pediatric deaths.
Conclusion: Metal stents can be useful in the short term but have limited patency, often require repeat intervention, and have substantial complications. Long-term success depends heavily on repeat interventions or stent removal.