Percutaneous bilateral metallic stent placement using a stentin-stent deployment technique in patients with malignant hilar biliary obstruction.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the technical and clinical efficacy of percutaneous bilateral stent-in-stent deployment using open cell-design stents and to compare the clinical outcomes of bilateral stent placement using T and Y configurations.

Methods: From January 2006 to December 2010, 106 patients with malignant hilar biliary obstruction (Bismuth type II or higher) were included in this retrospective study. All patients were treated with percutaneous bilateral stent-in-stent deployment using open cell-design stents (64 in a T configuration and 42 in a Y configuration).

Results: Bilateral stent-in-stent deployment was technically successful in all patients. Seven patients (6.6%) had major complications, including one with severe hemobilia, two with acute cholecystitis, and four with cholangitis; seven (6.6%) patients had minor complications, including self-limiting hemobilia. Successful internal drainage was achieved in 94 patients (88.7%). Stent occlusion by tumor ingrowth, with or without overgrowth, occurred in 37 patients (34.9%). The median survival and stent patency times were 192 days (95% CI, 153.6-230.4 days) and 319 days (95% CI, 148.5-489.5 days), respectively. Stent configuration did not significantly affect technical success, complications, successful internal drainage, patient survival, or stent patency.

Conclusions: Percutaneous bilateral stent-in-stent placement using open cell-design stents is effective for bilateral drainage in patients with malignant hilar biliary obstruction. In addition, there was no significant difference in technical and clinical outcomes between T and Y stent configurations.