Background and study aims: Endoscopic therapy holds an important role in the management of benign biliary strictures. This study compares longterm outcome of stenting therapy depending on the underlying cause of the stricture.
Patients and methods: In a retrospective cohort study 189 patients with benign biliary strictures were identified by using an endoscopic database, hospital charts and cholangiograms during the years 1992 and 2008. Long-term follow up was evaluated with cholangiograms, transabdominal ultrasound, laboratory parameters and physical examination. The median follow-up time was 45 months.
Results: Endoscopic management showed best long-term results in patients with stone-associated biliary stricture. In this subgroup, endoscopic therapy could be successfully completed in 92% (71/77) of patients. Patients with postoperative biliary stricture had good outcome in 84% (21/25) of cases. Idiopathic strictures presented a successful outcome in 58% (15/26). Biliary strictures caused by chronic pancreatitis had a significantly poorer outcome compared to strictures of other origin. Sustained success of endoscopic therapy could only be observed in 31% of patients (19/61).
Conclusions: Long-term outcome of endoscopic therapy for benign strictures was significantly dependent on the underlying cause of stricture. In particular, patients with biliary strictures due to chronic pancreatitis benefit least from endoscopic therapy whereas patients with stone-associated strictures had the highest success rate.
«
Background and study aims: Endoscopic therapy holds an important role in the management of benign biliary strictures. This study compares longterm outcome of stenting therapy depending on the underlying cause of the stricture.
Patients and methods: In a retrospective cohort study 189 patients with benign biliary strictures were identified by using an endoscopic database, hospital charts and cholangiograms during the years 1992 and 2008. Long-term follow up was evaluated with cholangiograms, tra...
»