[Malignant biliary obstruction, general review and clinical practice].

This review recalls the clinical, anatomic, physiopathological and etiological features necessary in the management of patients with neoplastic bile duct obstruction and exposes the current practice concerning endoscopic and radiologic palliative drainage. Clinical practice according to the clinical situations is explained. This review exposes complications management for patients having undergone an endoscopic or percutaneous drainage of the biliary ducts, the particular case of periportal stenosis, the respective indications of endoscopic and transhepatic percutaneous drainage, usual immediate evolution according to the type of the stenosis and the technique used as well as the management in case of stent obstruction.

Percutaneous transhepatic balloon dilatation of benign bilioenteric strictures: long-term results in 110 patients.

Background: Percutaneous transhepatic balloon dilatation is an alternative to surgery when benign bilioenteric strictures (BBES) are inaccessible to endoscopic treatment. Our primary objective was to report long-term patency of balloon-dilated BBES.

Methods: A total of 110 consecutive patients with 155 BBES had percutaneous transhepatic complete drainage of all biliary territories, balloon dilatation, and catheter stenting.