Long-term results of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage for benign and malignant bile duct strictures

Background: Long-term percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) is a valid alternative to surgery in patients with benign or malignant bile duct strictures in whom endoscopic drainage has failed. However, few data are available on the long-term outcome with percutaneous drainage, specially when the application of Yamakawa-type prostheses is considered. Methods: During 1996, 48 patients who were either treated with primary PTBD insertion followed by PTBD exchanges (n = 15) or who presented only for exchange of an earlier PTBD (n = 33) were included in the study. Thirty-one patients had malignant strictures, and 17 had benign ones. The PTBD catheters were scheduled for exchange every 3 months or earlier if signs and symptoms of obstruction or other problems were present. The data were collected prospectively during each follow-up visit and included both symptoms and the status and function of the PTBD at the time of exchange. Results: Although PTBD was highly effective in relieving jaundice (progression of cholestasis was observed in only 2 cases), 73 of the 157 PTBD exchanges (47%) had to be carried out earlier than scheduled. Premature exchange was needed for clinical reasons, such as fever indicating PTBD dysfunction, in only 19% of these cases. The other reasons were related to the PTBD catheter and consisted of bile leakage alongside the drain (33%), PTBD disconnection or complete dislocation (30%), or occlusion suspected during regular flushing of the drain (15%). In most cases exchanging the drain was sufficient to solve the problem; in cases of complete dislocation, dilation of the same tract (n = 6) or fresh puncture and establishment of a new drainage site (n = 2) were necessary. Reducing the PTBD exchange interval from 3 to 2 months would have decreased the number of premature stent exchanges by 26%. Conclusions: Although PTBD is an effective method of biliary drainage, there are frequently minor problems-mostly catheter-related-which require premature exchange of the drain in almost half of the cases, and this may affect the patients' quality of life. Improvements in PTBD materials and catheter design are therefore needed. The effectiveness of reducing the intervals between PTBD exchanges should also be examined.