A Comparative Evaluation of Early Stent Occlusion Among Biliary Conventional Versus Wing Stents

Abstract

Early stent occlusion was similar for wing stents and conventional plastic stents. Wing stents, however, were associated with a lower incidence of cholangitis in patients with malignant biliary obstruction and benign non-stricturing biliary pathology.

Prevention of Biliary Stent Occlusion

“…A model of hydrophobincoated plastic biliary stents seems to reduce the amount of deposition of adherent material on the stents [10]. In conclusion, further in vivo studies on the biliary stent patency of coated plastic stents with hydrophobin or with hydrophobin in combination with heparin will be necessary to state if these stents will be a good compromise for a lower stent cost and the necessity for delay of the calcium bilirubinate clogging processes that actually cause the stent obstruction in 21-27% of patients after 3 months [1].…”

“…The 3-month stent occlusion rates were 27 and 21% for the wing and the conventional plastic stents, respectively [1]. The 3-month stent occlusion is nearly 9% in a novel double stent metal system [4].…”

“…An interesting article has been recently published in Digestive Diseases and Sciences on the comparative evaluation of early biliary stent occlusion among traditional plastic and wing stents [1]. The authors treated 364 patients affected by malignant and benign biliary tract diseases with conventional and wing plastic stents.…”

“…The authors treated 364 patients affected by malignant and benign biliary tract diseases with conventional and wing plastic stents. Plastic biliary stents were preferred to metal stents also in patients with malignant biliary tract diseases because of their lower costs [1].…”

“…In fact, plastic traditional and wing stents have an average costs of 146 and 68 US dollars, respectively [1], and metal stents have an additional cost of nearly 1,820 US dollars [2,3].…”