Self-Expanding Metallic Stent Fracture in the Treatment of Malignant Biliary Obstruction

Figure 3

Complete stent fracture in a 79-year-old man with common biliary obstruction from pancreatic cancer. (a). Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram demonstrating severe stenosis of the distal common bile duct was shown. (b). After biliary decompression for 5 weeks, a metallic, self-expandable stent (diameter, 10 mm; length, 60 mm; COOK Inc., Bloomington, IN, United States) was inserted into the distal common bile duct. (c). Because of complete dilation of the biliary stent, a balloon (diameter, 8 mm; length, 40 mm; ATB5-35-40-8-4.0; COOK Inc.) was used for biliary-plasty. (d). Sixty-five days after stent deployment, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography revealed biliary obstruction. The distal part of the stent was absent as a result of fracture (arrow). The fractured stent had therefore passed through the bowel without incident.

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(b)

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