ABSTRACT
Background:
This study evaluated the
effectiveness of short fully covered
self-expanding
metal stents (FCSEMS) with an anti-migration design in treating benign biliary
strictures (BBS) not related to
living donor liver transplantation (LDLT).
Methods:
A retrospective
analysis was conducted on 75
patients who underwent FCSEMS insertion for BBS management.
Stents were initially kept for 3 months and exchanged every 3 months until
stricture resolution. Adverse events and
stricture recurrence after FCSEMS removal were assessed during follow-up.
Results:
The study outcomes were technical success,
stenosis resolution, and
treatment failure. Technical success was 100%, with
stricture resolution in 99% of
patients. The mean onset
time of BBS post-
surgery was 4.4 years, with an average
stent indwelling period of 5.5 months.
Stricture recurrence occurred in 20% of
patients, mostly approximately 18.8 months after
stent removal. Early
cholangitis and
stent migration were noted in 3% and 4% of
patients, respectively.
Conclusions:
This study concludes that short FCSEMS demonstrate high
efficacy in the
treatment of non-LDLT-related BBS, with a low
incidence of interventions and
complications. Although this is a single-center,
retrospective study with a limited
sample size, the findings provide preliminary evidence supporting the use of short FCSEMS as a
primary treatment modality for BBS. To substantiate these findings, further
research involving
multicenter studies is recommended to provide additional validation and a broader perspective.
