Side-by-side placement of bilateral endoscopic metal stents for the treatment of postoperative biliary stricture

• Published in: Clinical journal of gastroenterology Vol. 10; no. 1; pp. 68 - 72
• Main Authors: Kaino, Seiji, Sen-yo, Manabu, Shinoda, Shuhei, Kawano, Michitaka, Harima, Hirofumi, Suenaga, Shigeyuki, Sakaida, Isao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Springer Japan 01.02.2017
• Subjects: Abdominal Surgery; Case Report; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic - adverse effects; Cholestasis - diagnostic imaging; Cholestasis - etiology; Cholestasis - therapy; Colorectal Surgery; Female; Gastroenterology; Hepatology; Humans; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metals; Middle Aged; Radiography, Abdominal; Stents; Surgical Oncology; Benign biliary stricture; Fully covered self-expandable metal stent; Postoperative biliary stricture; Side-by-side placement
• ISSN: 1865-7257; 1865-7265
• DOI: 10.1007/s12328-016-0694-z

Postoperative biliary strictures are usually complications of cholecystectomy. Endoscopic plastic stent prosthesis is generally undertaken for treating benign biliary strictures. Recently, fully covered metal stents have been shown to be effective for treating benign distal biliary strictures. We present the case of a 53-year-old woman with liver injury in which imaging studies showed a common hepatic duct stricture. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography also confirmed the presence of a common hepatic duct stricture. Temporally fully covered metal stents with dilated diameters of 6 mm were placed in a side-by-side fashion in the left and right hepatic ducts, respectively. We removed the stents 2 months after their placement. Subsequent cholangiography revealed an improvement in the biliary strictures. Although we were apprehensive about the fully covered metal stents obstructing the biliary side branches, we noted that careful placement of the bilateral metal stents did not cause any complications. Side-by-side deployment of bilateral endoscopic fully covered metal stents can be one of the safe and effective therapies for postoperative biliary stricture.