A survival analysis of patients with malignant biliary strictures treated by percutaneous metallic stenting

Relapsed acute pancreatitis as the initial presentation of pancreatic cancer in a young man: a case report

In this report, we describe a 31-year-old man in whom acute pancreatitis was the initial feature of a subsequently diagnosed pancreatic adenocarcinoma with multiple metastases. He initially presented at our hospital with acute pancreatitis. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a mildly dilated pancreatic duct and an enlarged pancreatic head. Although a follow-up abdominal ultrasonography revealed a progressively dilated pancreatic duct and a progressively enlarged pancreatic head, he refused further investigation and was lost to follow-up. Four months later, he returned to our hospital with relapsed acute pancreatitis. Obstructive jaundice was noted and drainage was performed. Because choledochoplasty with multiple balloon catheters was not fully effective, biliary tract bypass surgery was carried out. Intraoperative biopsy confirmed pancreatic adenocarcinoma with multiple metastases. The patient died of massive gastrointestinal bleeding a few weeks later. To our knowledge, this is the youngest case of pancreatic cancer with the uncommon initial presentation of acute pancreatitis reported in the literature. For a patient with acute pancreatitis, particularly recurrent episodes, but with no known risk factors for pancreatitis, a pancreatic neoplasm should be considered as a potential underlying cause, even in a young man.

Percutaneous palliation of pancreatic head cancer: randomized comparison of ePTFE/FEP-covered versus uncovered nitinol biliary stents

The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical effectiveness of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene/fluorinated-ethylene-propylene (ePTFE/FEP)-covered stents with that of uncovered nitinol stents for the palliation of malignant jaundice caused by inoperable pancreatic head cancer. Eighty patients were enrolled in a prospective randomized study. Bare nitinol stents were used in half of the patients, and ePTFE/FEP-covered stents were used in the remaining patients. Patency, survival, complications, and mean cost were calculated in both groups. Mean patency was 166.0 ± 13.11 days for the bare-stent group and 234.0 ± 20.87 days for the covered-stent group (p = 0.007). Primary patency rates at 3, 6, and 12 months were 77.5, 69.8, and 69.8% for the bare-stent group and 97.5, 92.2, and 87.6% for the covered-stent group, respectively. Mean secondary patency was 123.7 ± 22.5 days for the bare-stent group and 130.3 ± 21.4 days for the covered-stent group. Tumour ingrowth occurred exclusively in the bare-stent group in 27.5% of cases (p = 0.002). Median survival was 203.2 ± 11.8 days for the bare-stent group and 247.0 ± 20 days for the covered-stent group (p = 0.06). Complications and mean cost were similar in both groups. Regarding primary patency and ingrowth rate, ePTFE/FEP-covered stents have shown to be significantly superior to bare nitinol stents for the palliation of malignant jaundice caused by inoperable pancreatic head cancer and pose comparable cost and complications. Use of a covered stent does not significantly influence overall survival rate; nevertheless, the covered endoprosthesis seems to offer result in fewer reinterventions and better quality of patient life.

Combined percutaneous-endoscopic stenting of malignant biliary obstruction: results from 106 consecutive procedures and identification of factors associated with adverse outcome

BACKGROUND

In patients in whom attempted endoscopic stenting of malignant biliary obstruction fails, combined percutaneous-endoscopic stenting and percutaneous stenting using expandable metallic endoprostheses offer alternative approaches to biliary drainage. Despite the popularity of the percutaneous route, there is no available evidence to support its superiority over combined stenting in this patient group. The objective of this study was to present the short- and long-term results of a large series of combined percutaneous-endoscopic stenting procedures and identify factors associated with adverse outcome.

METHODS

Data were retrospectively collected on patients undergoing combined percutaneous-endoscopic biliary stenting for malignant biliary obstruction between January 2002 and December 2006. Short- and long-term outcomes were recorded, and pre-procedure variables correlated with adverse outcome.

RESULTS

Combined biliary stenting was technically successful in 102 (96.2%) of 106 patients. Procedure-associated mortality rate was 0%. In-hospital morbidity and mortality rates were 24.5% and 16.7%, respectively, with the majority of deaths resulting from biliary sepsis. Median survival was 100 days, with a 13.7% stent occlusion rate. On multivariable analysis, baseline American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) grade, decreasing serum albumin and increasing leucocyte count were independently associated with in-hospital mortality following combined stenting.

CONCLUSION

Combined biliary stenting is associated with short- and long-term outcomes equal to those reported in recent series of percutaneous transhepatic stenting. Randomised control trials, including cost-effectiveness analyses, are required to further compare these techniques. Outcomes following combined stenting may be further improved by early recognition and treatment of sepsis and scrupulous management of co-morbid disease.

Primary patency of percutaneously inserted self-expanding metallic stents in patients with malignant biliary obstruction

BACKGROUND

Effective bile duct drainage is crucial to the health-related quality of life of patients with jaundice caused by obstruction of the bile duct by inoperable malignant tumours.

METHODS

All patients who were treated at Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden with percutaneous stenting between 2000 and 2005 were identified retrospectively. Data on the location of the obstruction and type of stent used, date and cause of death and date of stent failure were abstracted from the patients' notes. Stent patency was defined as the duration from the insertion of the stent to the date of failure. In cases in which the cause of death was directly related to failure of the stent, the date of death was defined as the patency endpoint.

RESULTS

A total of 64 patients (34 women, 30 men) were identified. Their mean age was 71 years (standard deviation 11 years). The median length of patency was 11.4 months. Stent diameter >10 mm and distal stricture were found to be associated with significantly longer patency time in univariate Cox proportional hazard analysis. In multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis, only location of the stricture was found to be independently and significantly associated with patency time.

DISCUSSION

Percutaneous stenting is a good alternative for patients with obstructive jaundice and a life expectancy < or = 1 year. It may give instant relief from the symptoms associated with jaundice. Patency time may be prolonged by using stents with a diameter > or = 10 mm. However, patency time was found to be lower for hilar tumours.

Impact of rhenium-188, gemcitabine, and 5-fluorouracil on cholangiocellular carcinoma cells: an in vitro study

The purpose of this study was to compare the beneficial effects of radioactive stents and radioactive stents plus additional chemotherapy in the palliative treatment of cholangiocellular carcinomas. Cholangiocellular carcinoma cells (TFK-1 cells) were treated either with 8 Gy (RTB group) or 16 Gy (RTA group) (188)Re or with (188)Re irradiation (8 Gy) combined with either gemcitabine (8 Gy/Gem) or 5-fluorouracil (8 Gy/5-FU) at a dosage of 20 microg/ml medium for 4 days and subsequently compared with an untreated control group. Proliferation kinetics were assessed on days 4, 7, 11, 18, 25, and 32. Colony formation assays were performed on days 7, 18, and 32 and cell cycle distribution was examined on days 4, 7, 11, 15, 25, and 39. Cell proliferation kinetics showed the lowest cell numbers in the 8 Gy/5-FU group (control, 15,390,000; RTA group, 8,394,000; RTB group, 5,609,000; 8 Gy/Gem group, 423,000; and 8 Gy/5-FU group, 297,667). In contrast, clonogenic activity on day 32 was lower in the 8 Gy/Gem group (control, 29.3 colonies; RTB group, 23.1 colonies; 8 Gy/5-FU group, 21.5 colonies; 8 Gy/Gem, 3.3 colonies; and even augmented in the RTA group, with 37.7 colonies). Cell cycle distribution showed similar curves for all groups on slightly different levels except for the 8 Gy/5-FU group, which showed a relatively augmented percentage of cells on day 7 in the G2 M cycle phase and on day 4 in the S phase. In conclusion, irradiation (8 Gy) with (188)Re administered, e.g., via coated stents, combined with Gem could be a valid option for the treatment of CCCs.

Primary patency of Wallstents in malignant bile duct obstruction: single vs. two or more noncoaxial stents

The purpose of this study was to determine the primary patency of two or more noncoaxial self-expanding metallic Wallstents (Boston Scientific, Natick, MA) and to compare this with the primary patency of a single stent in malignant bile duct obstruction. From August 2002 to August 2004, 127 patients had stents placed for malignant bile duct obstruction. Forty-five patients were treated with more than one noncoaxial self-expanding metallic stents and 82 patients had a single stent placed. Two patients in the multiple-stent group were lost to follow-up. The primary patency period was calculated from the date of stenting until the first poststenting intervention for stent occlusion, death, or the time of last documented follow-up. The patency of a single stent was significantly different from that of multiple stents (P = 0.0004). In the subset of patients with high bile duct obstruction, the patency of a single stent remained significantly different from that of multiple stents (P = 0.02). In the single-stent group, there was no difference in patency between patients with high vs. those with low bile duct obstruction (P = 0.43). The overall median patency for the multistent group and the single-stent group was 201 and 261 days, respectively. In conclusion, the patency of a single stent placed for malignant low or high bile duct obstruction is similar, and significantly longer than, that of multiple stents placed for malignant high bile duct obstruction. Given the median patency of 201 days, when indicated, percutaneous stenting of multiple bile ducts is an effective palliative measure for patients with malignant high bile duct obstruction.

Palliative treatment with self-expandable metallic stents in patients with advanced type III or IV hilar cholangiocarcinoma: a percutaneous versus endoscopic approach

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Endoscopic or percutaneous biliary drainage with self-expandable metallic stents (SEMS) is widely used for the palliation of cholestasis in patients with advanced hilar cholangiocarcinoma. However, little is known about which is the better option in patients with advanced hilar cholangiocarcinoma. We compared the clinical outcomes of these 2 methods of biliary decompression in these patients.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Multicenter retrospective study.

PATIENTS

A total of 85 patients with newly diagnosed advanced hilar cholangiocarcinoma (Bismuth III or Bismuth IV) and who did not receive an operation, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy were retrospectively reviewed. Forty-four of the 85 received endoscopic SEMS and 41 received percutaneous SEMS.

INTERVENTIONS

Endoscopic SEMS or percutaneous SEMS.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS

Baseline characteristics were similar in the 2 groups, but the rate of successful biliary decompression was significantly higher in the percutaneous SEMS group than in the endoscopic SEMS group (92.7% vs 77.3%, respectively, P= .049). Overall rates of procedure-related complications were similar for the 2 groups, but 1 death (from biliary sepsis) occurred in the endoscopic SEMS group. Median survival of patients in whom biliary drainage was successful initially, regardless of which procedure was performed, was much longer than that of patients who had failed biliary drainage (8.7 months vs 1.8 months, respectively, P< .001). Once successful biliary decompression had been achieved, median survival and stent patency duration were similar in the 2 study groups.

LIMITATION

Retrospective study.

CONCLUSIONS

Percutaneous SEMS may be chosen for initial biliary drainage in patients with advanced type III or IV hilar cholangiocarcinoma, given higher initial success rate and low level of procedure-related cholangitis.

Palliative nonvascular interventions

Interventional radiologists are often called on to help with quality of life issues in end-stage cancer patients. Many times, the discomfort can be directly associated to the tumor mass itself, but in other instances, tumors can cause secondary obstruction of normal structures that can lead to patient distress. As with most palliative care patients, their medical conditions are not conducive to major surgery; therefore minimally invasive techniques are ideal for the treatment of these conditions. The following discussion addresses the various nonvascular interventions available to these patients, including the indications and limitations of these procedures.

ePTFE/FEP-covered metallic stents for palliation of malignant biliary disease: can tumor ingrowth be prevented?

PURPOSE

To determine the application and clinical effectiveness of ePTFE/FEP-covered metallic stents for palliation of malignant biliary disease, and to evaluate the efficiency of stent coverage in preventing tumor ingrowth.

METHODS

During a 3-year period, 36 patients with malignant obstructive jaundice were treated with ePTFE/FEP-covered stents, with or without proximal side holes. The stricture was located in the lower common bile duct (CBD) in 18 cases, the upper CBD in 9, the lower common hepatic duct (CHD) in 6, and the upper CHD in 3 patients.

RESULTS

Thirty-seven covered stents were percutaneously implanted. The technical success rate was 97%. Reintervention was required in 6 cases. The 30-day mortality rate was 40%, not procedure-related. Mean survival was 128 days. Primary patency rates were 100%, 55.5%, and 25% at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively, while the assisted patency rate was 100% at 12 months. Stents without side holes had higher primary patency rates compared with those with side holes, where occlusion was always due to tumor ingrowth. Tumor ingrowth did not occur in the completely covered stents. No stent dysfunction due to sludge incrustation was found. Complications were 1 case of arterial laceration that occurred during percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography, and a subcapsular hematoma and 1 case of bile peritonitis, that both occurred during primary stenting. No complications followed the secondary stenting technique.

CONCLUSION

ePTFE/FEP-covered metallic stents are safe and effective for palliation of malignant biliary disease. The presence of the ePTFE/FEP coating is likely to prevent from tumor ingrowth.