The plastic biliary stent: an obsolete device for managing pancreatic cancer?

摘要

In 2009 there were an estimated 42,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer diagnosed. Patients with carcinoma of the head of the pancreas are subject to substantial morbidity resulting from obstruction of the intrapancreatic segment of the common bile duct. In patients who are not undergoing surgery, endoscopic treatment of malignant biliary obstruction is often successful in alleviating symptoms, reducing the incidence of cholangitis, and increasing biliary drainage so that hepatically metabolized chemotherapeutic agents can be offered.