You don't have to retrieve to relieve: how and when to trim a self-expanding metal biliary stent

Trimming of a Broken Migrated Biliary Metal Stent with the Nd:YAG Laser

Biliary metal stents are a permanent solution for bile duct stenosis. Complications can arise when the stent migrates, breaks or is overgrown by tumour. The following case demonstrates how a Nd:YAG laser can be used to solve these problems. A 93-year-old man presented with jaundice and fever. Two years earlier a 6-cm metal stent had been implanted into a postinflammatory stenosis of the common bile duct after recurrent cholangitis and repetitive plastic stenting. Duodenoscopy showed that the stent was broken. It had migrated about 3 cm into the duodenum, leading to kinking of the stent and breaking of the wires. The stent was also occluded. It was necessary to purge the common bile duct and to introduce a second stent. However, the only way to reach the papilla was through the broken wires. Placing a second stent this way was impossible. Thus we trimmed the stent with a Nd:YAG laser. The piece that had migrated into the duodenum was retrieved. Now the papilla could be reached. The rest of the metal stent was purged with NaCl 0.9%. A second metal stent was placed. Since an Nd:YAG laser is part of the equipment of most endoscopy units, it can be used to trim a broken or migrated biliary metal stent.

Endoscopic trimming of metallic stents with the use of argon plasma

BACKGROUND

The endoscopic placement of metallic stents for palliation of malignant obstruction of the GI or biliary tract is an established practice and as such is often applied. Use of these stents, however, has its problems. Stent migration may cause obstruction of the bowel lumen. Migration of a biliary stent into the contralateral duodenal wall may cause difficulty in gaining access to the biliary tract, as will the placement of a duodenal stent across the ampulla.

OBJECTIVE

We report on 6 patients in whom trimming of the metallic nitinol stent was performed.

DESIGN

Single-center, retrospective case series.

SETTING

Secondary referral center.

PATIENTS

Of 6 patients included, 2 patients each had an uncovered duodenal stent, 2 had an uncovered biliary stent each, 1 had an uncovered colorectal stent, and 1 had a covered gastroduodenal stent.

INTERVENTIONS

Under direct endoscopic vision, an argon plasma beam was used to cut self-expandable metallic stents, as appropriate.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT

The main objective was relief of the obstruction to the bowel lumen or bile duct, facilitating successful passage of an endoscope or biliary canulation, respectively.

RESULTS

In all 5 patients with uncovered metallic stents, we were able to re-establish access to the obstructed bowel lumen or the biliary tree, as indicated. An attempt to tailor the length of a covered metallic gastroduodenal stent failed. No complications were observed and no hemorrhage or perforation occurred.

LIMITATIONS

The study was limited by retrospective design and small sample size.

CONCLUSIONS

The endoscopic cutting and tailoring of an uncovered metallic prosthesis, by means of an argon plasma beam, is feasible, effective, and safe. Trimming of covered stents is not advocated.