Risk factors for recurrent biliary obstruction following suprapapillary placement of a plastic stent as preoperative biliary drainage for perihilar biliary malignancy.

Background/purpose: The usefulness of endoscopic biliary stenting by deploying a plastic stent suprapapillary, called inside-stent (IS) placement, as preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) for perihilar biliary malignancy (PHBM) has been demonstrated. This study investigated risk factors for recurrent biliary obstruction (RBO) after IS placement.

Methods: Consecutive patients with potentially resectable PHBM treated with IS placement as PBD between 2017 and 2023 at Nagoya University Hospital were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: A total of 157 patients were included, with RBO occurring in 34 (22%) patients. The non-RBO rates were 83% at 30 days, 77% at 60 days, and 57% at 90 days. The most common cause of RBO was stent occlusion (n = 14), followed by segmental cholangitis (n = 12) and stent migration (n = 8). Stent migration and occlusion occurred more frequently within and after 1 week post-stenting, respectively. In multivariate analysis, biliary infection before IS was the sole risk factor for RBO, with a hazard ratio of 2.404 (95% confidence interval 1.163-4.972; p = .018). This risk was reduced by temporary endoscopic nasobiliary drainage prior to definitive IS placement.

Conclusions: Biliary infection before IS was identified as an independent risk factor for RBO in patients with PHBM with IS as PBD.

Clinical Trial Register: Clinical trial registration number: UMIN000025631.