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

Figure 6

Gradual fracture of a biliary stent in a 78-year-old woman with common bile duct obstruction secondary to carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater. (a). Abdominal-enhanced CT scan showing a mass located at the duodenal ampulla of Vater (arrow) was shown. (b). Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram showing severe stricture of the distal common bile duct was shown, and a SEMS (diameter, 8 mm; length, 60 mm; COOK Inc., Bloomington, IN, United States) was inserted to relieve the obstruction. (c)–(e). 249 days after SEMS insertion, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography showed stent fracture located at the stricture position, from partial, filamentous connective to complete fracture, without the distal part of the stent (arrow). (f). A new SEMS (diameter, 8 mm; length, 80 mm; COOK Inc., Bloomington, IN, United States) was inserted to relieve the reobstruction.

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