Evaluation of Clinical Outcomes of ses Stent in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease After Intracoronary Stenting in Small Vessels

Background:Limited data are available for sirolimus-eluting stent(SES,Cypher)implantation in patients with coronary artery disease in small vessels.The clinical longtermoutcomes of SES in patients with coronary artery disease after intracoronary stenting in small vessels has not been yet evaluated.

Preliminary Experience of Intracoronary Stenting

This artlcle reports the results of 14 coronary stentsfmplamtation perfomed on 12 pstlonts with coronary artery disease. Successrate of the fmplantatlon was 100%. None of the patlents had stent-subacute thrombosfa or other severe complleatlons.Clinleal aymptomaof these patlenta wera reduced.This report showed that stenting is a asfe andemclebt interventlonal procedure with high success rate and few compllcations.It can fmprove the symptoms of patlents,with coronary artery dlsease.Intracoronary stenting expands the fndleations and decreases the compllcntionsof PTCA,It may reduce restenprls rate and defay its oecurronce.

A STENT VESSEL OCCLUTION—TREATING AFTER 9 MONTHS OF PTCA AND RIGHT INTRACORONARY STENTING

An 63-year-old Chinese man had abruptly attacked a dull and choke cheatpain at midnight of January 26,1996 and e was admitted hospital due toconstanting pain no alleviation.The diagnose was Acute Inferior MyocardialInfarction confirmed by CG examination and serum C enzyme spectrumafterwards.An soon as admision in C.C.V,throbolyi agent urokinase 1.5million unit intravenous perfusion and and serious AMI medica therapy withpharmacologic agents nitrates,-adrenergic blockers,calcium antagonistswere used.The patient’s chest pain was relieved after 2h and 30 minutesthat urokinase perfusion finished.The lost time from pain start to arrivalhospital and perfusion administration was 5 hours.The optimal ECG S-Tsegment descending amplitude 】50%,accompaied with cheat pain detent.Seriesenzyme peak was ahead of time.All of those had proved that occludecoronary artery got patency.this patient discharged after 20 days.Thepatient was admitted again at 29.October 1996 and was informed to takecoronary artery engiography because he always felt palpitation,dyspnea andpresented dull chest pain still after the time of leave hospital.Thecoronary angiogram indicated that a length of 10mm long and a eccentric】95%stenosis had existed in middle segment of right coronary artery.Leftventriculogram observed cardianeuria at diaphrag and rear base.F was 61.3%Then a 4.0 mm angio-plasty balloon catheter followed 0.14 mm guidewiresuccessfully passed tenosis place and expansion twice effectively to bedone.atmospheric pressure was 4-6 and length of time was 10-20 seconds,Angiogram showed revascularization success and there was no residualtenosis.Stnt implantation of 15 mm Ang Dynamic was completed smoothlythen.Following 9 months,the patient become health and strong,quality oflife improved obviously.21,July,1997,the patient came to hospital to take ordinary coronaryartery angiography A stent v occlusion 100% found.Immediatelyngioplasty balloon expansion administered 5 times still v bloodreturn to normal completely.No stent implaced again.According to the investigation from American National PTCA Registry andsome European research center reports,re-occlusion occurring frequencyrange is 3 months to 6 months.Some patient even felt no cardiac sympto orjust a little distress.They advocate patient’s coronary artery angiographyevery 6 months would be taken.Appearance of our case consider the problemof stent v occlusion occurred after 9 months warning that ordinarycoronary artery angiography taken after 6 months is necessary,sometimeballoon expansion residual stnsis or stent v occusion have to belone.

CLINICAL APPLICATION OF INTRACORONARY STENTING

Intracoronary stents were implanted in 61 patients(58 males and 3females,aged 52.1±8.3 years) with coronary heart disease in thishospital from June 1995 to May 1998.Seventy-two intracoronary stents (12Palmaz-Schatz.8 OR-I,45 Multilink,6 NIR and 1 Wiktor-i) were implanted,45 in LAD(62.5% ),22 in RCA(30.6%) and 5 in LCX(6.9%),Indications forstenting included 30 de novo(41.6%).4 bail-out(5.6%)and 38 Suboptimal(52.8%)stenting.The procedure success rate was 100%.Averagediameterstenosis decreased from 75-100% to -10-10% after stenting.There was one death from subacute stent thrombosis Two cases hadhematoma at the pancture site.There were no complication of acutethrombosis,cerebral hemorrhage and emergency CABG.During 1-36 monthsfollow-up,6 cases had relapse of chest pain,incinding 4 case ofrestenosis proved by argiography.Coronary stenting is a successfulmeans for atent"stand-by" and bail-out procedure for balloon angioplasty.Optimal angiographic results can be achieved in the majority ofpatients by proper stent sizing and deployment techniques.Anticoagulation should be given according to the characteristics oflesions and post-stenting angiographic findings so as to reducevascular and bleeding complications as well as hospital stay followingcoronary angioplasty.The results suggest that intracoronary stentinghas high success rate and low restenosis rate.It is an effective andsafe interventional therapy for acute coronary closure or selected denovo complex lesions following PTCA.

Arterial Duct Stenting Versus Modified Blalock-Taussig Shunt in Patient with Ductal-Dependent Pulmonary Circulation: Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis

Objective:Patients with ductal-dependent pulmonary circulation require alternative bloodflow to provide and maintain adequate oxygenation.Modified Blalock-Taussig Shunt(MBTS)has been the standard for providing such a result.Currently,less invasive methods such as Arterial Duct(AD)stenting have been performed as alter-natives.This study aims to compare the outcome of AD stenting and MBTS.Method:Systematic research was performed in online databases using the PRISMA protocol.The outcomes measured were 30-day mortality,com-plication,unplanned intervention,oxygen saturation,duration of hospital,and ICU length of stay.Any compara-tive study provided with full text is included.The outcome of each study was analyzed using a trandom effects model with relative risk and mean difference as the effect size.Bias risk assessment was conducted using the New-castle-Ottawa Scale.All analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.4.1.Result:A total of 11 studies with 3154 samples included in this study.There is no significant difference in 30-day mortality between the two groups(p-value=0.10).However,there is significantly less complication(RR 0.53[0.35,0.82];p-value=0.004)and unplanned intervention(RR 0.59[0.38,0.92];p-value=0.02)in the AD stent group.Comparison of the Nakata index showed no significant difference(p-value=0.88).Post-operative oxygen saturation was measured signifi-cantly higher in the AD stenting(MD 1.80[0.85,2.74];p-value=0.0002).However,AD stent group shows sig-nificantly lower long-term oxygen saturation(MD-8.43[-14.38,-2.48];p-value=0.005).Both hospital and ICU length of stay was significantly shorter in the AD stent group(MD-8.30[-11.13,-5.48];p-value<0.00001;MD-5.09[-7.79,-2.38];p-value=0.0002).Conclusion:AD stenting provides comparable outcomes relative to MBTS as it provides less complication and unplanned intervention and higher post-procedural O2 saturation.However,MBTS proved its superiority in maintaining higher long-term oxygen saturation and still became the preferred option to manage complex cases where stenting is either challenging or unsuccessful.

Do changes in intracoronary pressure aid coronary spasm diagnosis using the spasm provocation test?

BACKGROUND Although the spasm provocation test(SPT)can diagnose coronary spasms,it would be helpful if it could also predict their occurrence.AIM To investigate whether coronary spasms can be predicted using changes in intracoronary artery pressure measured using a pressure wire during the SPT.METHODS Seventy patients underwent SPTs with pressure-wire measurement of intracoronary artery pressure.During each SPT,the pressure wire was advanced into the distal portion of the right coronary artery(RCA)and left anterior descending coronary artery,and the ratio of intracoronary pressure to aortic pressure(Pd/Pa)was monitored.Coronary spasm was defined as an arterial narrowing of>90%in response to the administration of acetylcholine(ACh),with chest symptoms and/or ischemic electrocardiographic changes.ACh was administered to the RCA at low,moderate,or high doses of 20,50,or 80μg,respectively,and to the left coronary artery(LCA)at low,moderate,or high doses of 50,100,or 200μg,respectively.Coronary arteries with coronary spasms at low doses of ACh were defined as group L,and those with coronary spasms at moderate or high doses were defined as group MH.Those who did not occur coronary spasms at any ACh dose were designated as group N.RESULTS Among the 132 coronary arteries assessed using a pressure wire,there were 49 in group N,25 in group L,and 58 in group MH.Baseline Pd/Pa was the lowest in group L(P=0.001).The decrease in the Pd/Pa between baseline to low doses of ACh was lower in group MH than in group N(P<0.001).A receiver-operating characteristics analysis showed that the cutoff baseline Pd/Pa value for predicting group L was 0.95,with a sensitivity of 0.600(15/25)and a specificity of 0.713(76/107)and that the cutoff value of Pd/Pa from baseline to low doses of ACh for predicting group MH was−0.04,with a sensitivity of 0.741(43/58)and a specificity of 0.694(34/49).CONCLUSION These findings suggest that indices of intracoronary pressure during SPT may be useful means for predicting the occurrence of coronary spasms.

Vertebral Artery Stenting for Acute Multiple Cerebral Infarctions Caused by Vertebral Artery Dissection After Massage:A Case Report

Vertebral artery dissection is a rare pathology that can cause ischemic stroke in young people.Cervical massage,especially improper pulling manipulation,is a cause of vertebral artery dissection.We present a case of 32-year old woman who developed acute multiple posterior circulation ischemic cerebral infarctions as a result of left vertebral artery V4 segment dissection after receiving neck massage.She underwent emergency vertebral artery stent implantation at the site of the dissection.Symptoms were relieved the day after treatment.The patient recovered without adverse complications or endovascular restenosis in the following year.

Benefits of endoscopic gallbladder stenting following percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage

BACKGROUND Endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage is challenging because of the complexity of the procedure and high incidence of adverse events(AEs).To overcome these problems,endoscopic gallbladder stenting(EGBS)after percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage(PTGBD)can be effective,as it mitigates inflammation and adhesion.AIM To examine the benefits of EGBS after PTGBD to assess its efficacy and impact on AEs.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed data from 35 patients who underwent EGBS after PTGBD at a single center between January 2016 and December 2023.The primary outcomes were technical success and AEs,and the rate of recurrent cholecystitis was evaluated.In addition,the reasons for the failure of the procedure were identified.RESULTS Among the 35 patients,the technical success rate was 77.1%and the final contrast of the cystic duct was successful in 97.1%of patients.The incidence of early AEs was relatively low(11.4%),with no instances of cystic duct perforation.The rate of recurrent cholecystitis was 3.7%,and no other biliary events were observed.CONCLUSION EGBS after PTGBD may be significantly beneficial,with a substantial success rate and minimal AEs in both short-and long-term follow-ups.

Percutaneous transhepatic stenting for acute superior mesenteric vein stenosis after pancreaticoduodenectomy with portal vein reconstruction:A case report

BACKGROUND Percutaneous transhepatic stent placement has become a common strategy for the postoperative treatment of portal vein(PV)/superior mesenteric veins(SMV)stenosis/occlusion.It has been widely used after liver transplantation surgery;however,reports on stent placement for acute PV/SMV stenosis after pancreatic surgery within postoperative 3 d are rare.CASE SUMMARY Herein,we reported a case of intestinal edema and SMV stenosis 2 d after pancreatic surgery.The patient was successfully treated using stent grafts.Although the stenosis resolved after stent placement,complications,including bleeding,pancreatic fistula,bile leakage,and infection,made the treatment highly challenging.The use of anticoagulants was adjusted multiple times to prevent venous thromboembolism and the risk of bleeding.After careful treatment,the patient stabilized,and stent placement effectively managed postoperative PV/SMV stenosis.CONCLUSION Stent placement is effective and feasible for treating acute PV/SMV stenosis after pancreatic surgery even within postoperative 3 d.

Endoscopic luminal stenting:Current applications and future perspectives

Endoscopic luminal stenting(ELS)represents a minimally invasive option for the management of malignant obstruction along the gastrointestinal tract.Previous studies have shown that ELS can provide rapid relief of symptoms related to esophageal,gastric,small intestinal,colorectal,biliary,and pancreatic neoplastic strictures without compromising cancer patients’overall safety.As a result,in both palliative and neoadjuvant settings,ELS has largely surpassed radiotherapy and surgery as a first-line treatment modality.Following the abovementioned success,the indications for ELS have gradually expanded.To date,ELS is widely used in clinical practice by well-trained endoscopists in managing a wide variety of diseases and complications,such as relieving non-neoplastic obstructions,sealing iatrogenic and non-iatrogenic perforations,closing fistulae and treating post-sphincterotomy bleeding.The abovementioned development would not have been achieved without corresponding advances and innovations in stent technology.However,the technological landscape changes rapidly,making clinicians’adaptation to new technologies a real challenge.In our mini-review article,by systematically reviewing the relevant literature,we discuss current developments in ELS with regard to stent design,accessories,techniques,and applications,expanding the research basis that was set by previous studies and highlighting areas that need to be further investigated.

Effects of Erigeron Injection on Vascular Endothelium in Patients after Intracoronary Stenting

Objective： To observe the levels of serum C-reactive protein （CRP）, endothelin-1 （ET-1）, nitric oxide （NO）, and superoxide dismutase （SOD） in patients after intracoronary stenting （ICS）, and the effects of Erigeron Injection （E1） on them. Methods： Seventy-two patients, who received ICS and had symptoms of chest stuffiness, palpitation and chest pain, were randomly divided into two groups, with 36 patients in the control group treated with Plavix alone for anti-platelet aggregation, and the other 36 patients in the treated group treated with Plavix and El in combination. CRP, ET-1, NO and SOD were determined and compared before and 1, 2 and 3 weeks after treatment. Results： As compared with those in the control group, improvement of symptoms in the treated group was significantly better, with the levels of CRP and ET-1 lower and levels of SOD and NO higher or approaching to normal ranges and significant difference was shown between the two groups （P〈0.01）. Conclusion： El could alleviate uncomfortable feelings such as chest stuffiness in patients after lOS, and improve the function of vascular endothelium.

Ultrasound-guided carotid angioplasty and stenting in a patient with iodinated contrast allergy:A case report

BACKGROUND Ischemic stroke is an entity with high incidence,morbidity,and mortality rates.Carotid artery stenosis is an important and independent risk factor for ischemic stroke.The three current approaches for treating carotid artery stenosis are drug treatment,carotid endarterectomy(CEA),carotid angioplasty and stenting(CAS).The approach is chosen based on the degree of stenosis.CEA or CAS could have been chosen for the current patient,who had severe carotid stenosis and an iodinated contrast allergy.After thoroughly communicating with the patient,the patient chose CAS for treatment.Therefore,we performed ultrasound-guided CAS to avoid the use of iodinated contrast.CASE SUMMARY The main symptoms of the patient were numbness and weakness of the left limb.Computed tomography angiography of the head and neck at another hospital indicated multiple sites of stenosis in the arteries of the head and neck.The patient requested CAS for treatment but was allergic to iodinated contrast media.Thus,routine digital subtraction angiography(DSA)with iodinated contrast could not be used for the procedure.The diagnosis of this patient was as follows:(1)Right parietal lobe cerebral infarction;(2)multiple sites of stenosis in the arteries of the head and neck(severe stenosis of the right internal carotid artery,severe stenosis of the right subclavian artery);(3)right subclavian steal syndrome;and(4)hypertension(stage 3,high risk).The interventions included routine treatment for cerebral infarction,oral administration of clopidogrel(75 mg qd)and aspirin(100 mg qd),ultrasound-guided CAS,and postoperative follow-up.Postoperative color Doppler ultrasound and cerebrovascular magnetic resonance angiography of the carotid artery showed good vascular recovery,and the postoperative follow-up indicated a good prognosis.CONCLUSION This case study suggests that ultrasound-guided endovascular treatment is a potential option for patients with contraindications to the iodinated contrast agents used in DSA-guided surgery,although excellent surgical operating skills are needed.

Effect of PTCA and stenting on left ventricular diastolic function in patients with CHD

Objective The aim of this study was to determine the effect of successful coronary revascularisation on left ventricular diastolic function.Methods We consecutively studied the diastolic function by Doppler echocardiography in 125 patients with one vessel disease before and 48 hours after selective coronary angioplasty. The following parameters of left ventricular diastolic function were evaluated: peak early (VE, m/s) and peak late diastolic (VA, m/s) flow velocity, E/A ratio, acceleration time (AT, ms), deceleration time (DT, ms) and isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT, ms). Ejection fraction (EF; %) was determined and used to characterise systolic left ventricular function. Results All of the patients were initially successful treated with coronary angioplasty (residual stenosis <40% ). In 98 patients( 78.4% ) stents were used to improve an inadequate result after coronary angioplasty. Both patient groups (27 patients with coronary angioplasty and 98 patients with combined coronary angioplasty and stent implantation) showed no relevant differences concerning sex, age, atherosclerotic risk factors, exercise capacity and results of exercise electrocardiography. All patients who underwent stent implantation showed an early improvement of left ventricular diastolic function 48 hours after revascularisation. Surprisingly there was no significant short term improvement (48 hours) of diastolic function in patients with initially successful angioplasty.Conclusions We suppose that stent implantation might normalize coronary blood flow faster than that of coronary balloon angioplasty.

A Novel guide extension assisted stenting technique for coronary bifurcation lesions

A challenging technical scenario frequently encountered in a percutaneous coronary intervention of a coronary bifurcation lesion(CBL)is stent implantation of only the stenosed segment without compromising the other two normal segments in non-true bifurcation lesions.Another is precise stent implantation covering the side branch ostium without leaving excessive stent metal at the other two segments of a bifurcation lesion in complex true bifurcation lesions.The aim of this study was to describe a novel stenting technique for both non-true and true CBLs by using a guide extension catheter(GuideLiner).With the assistance of a guide extension catheter mounted on both the main and the side-branch guidewires and with its intubation down to the bifurcation carina,a stent can be implanted in the side branch segment or distal main segment of the bifurcation lesion appropriately without compromising the other two segments of the coronary bifurcation.Stent implantation is described in three bifurcation lesions in three cases and shown in detail with illustrative figures.The technique facilitates side-branch only stenting in side-branch mono-ostial(medina 0,0,1)CBL or only the distal main segment in distal mono-ostial(medina 0,1,0)CBL without compromising the other two remaining segments when using the onestent technique in non-true CBLs without leaving unnecessary excessive stent metal at the bifurcation site and when using a two-stent technique in complex true bifurcation lesions(tri-ostial or medina 1,1,1).Consequently,through optimizing stent deployment,the technique may have the potential to reduce the risk of subacute stent thrombosis and future in-stent restenosis.The most appropriate lesions suitable for the technique,and some other practical tips are also described.

Outcome of stenting in biliary and pancreatic benign and malignant diseases:A comprehensive review

Endoscopic stenting has become a widely method for the management of various malignant and benign pancreatico-biliary disorders. Biliary and pancreatic stents are devices made of plastic or metal used primarily to establish patency of an obstructed bile or pancreatic duct and may also be used to treat biliary or pancreatic leaks,pancreatic fluid collections and to prevent post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis. In this review,relevant literature search and expert opinions have been used to evaluate the outcome of stenting in biliary and pancreatic benign and malignant diseases.

Comparison of endoscopic stenting for malignant biliary obstruction: A single-center study

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of single-step endoscopic placement of self-expandable metallic stents(SEMS) for treatment of obstructive jaundice.METHODS: A retrospective study was performed among 90 patients who underwent transpapillary biliary metallic stent placement for malignant biliary obstruction(MBO) between April 2005 and October 2012. The diagnosis of primary disease and MBO was based on abdominal ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, endoscopic ultrasound, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with brush cytology, biopsy, and/or a combination of these modalities. The type of SEMS(covered or non-covered, 8 mm or 10 mm in diameter) was determined by the endoscopist. Ninety patients were divided into two groups: group 1(49 patients) who underwent a singlestep SEMS placement and group 2(41 patients) who underwent a two-step SEMS placement. The technical success rate, complication rate, stent patency, and patient survival rate were compared between the groups. In addition, to identify the clinical prognostic factors associated with patient survival, the following variables were evaluated in Cox-regression analysis: gender, age, etiology of MBO(pancreatic cancer or nonpancreatic cancer), clinical stage(Ⅳb; with distant metastases or Ⅳa >; without distant metastases), chemotherapy(with or without), patency of the stent, and the use of single-step or two-step SEMS. RESULTS: Immediate technical success was achieved in 93.9%(46/49) in group 1 and in 95.1%(39/41) in group 2, with no significant difference(P = 1.0). Similarly, there was no difference in the complication rates between the groups(group 1, 4.1% and group 2, 4.9%; P = 0.62). Stent failure was observed in 10 cases in group 1(20.4%) and in 16 cases in group 2(39.0%). The patency of stent and patient survival revealed no difference between the two groups with Kaplan-Meier analysis, with a mean patency of 111 ± 17 d in group 1 and 137 ± 19 d in group 2(P = 0.91), and a mean survival of 178 ± 35 d in group 1 and 222 ± 23 d in group 2(P = 0.57). On the contrary, the number of days of hospitalization associated with first-time SEMS placement in group 1 was shorter when compared with that number in group 2(28 vs 39 d; P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that a clinical stage of Ⅳa >(P = 0.0055), chemotherapy(P = 0.0048), and no patency of the stent(P = 0.011) were independent prognostic factors associated with patient survival.CONCLUSION: Our results showed that single-step endoscopic metal stent placement was safe and effective for treating obstructive jaundice secondary to various inoperable malignancies.

Clinical usefulness and current problems of pancreatic duct stenting for preventing post-ERCP pancreatitis

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP) is an endoscopic procedure with high frequency of accidental symptoms, and particularly some patients who develop and aggravate pancreatitis due to the procedure may need treatment of surgery or die. Various attempts were performed so far to prevent post-ERCP pancreatitis, however, it is impossible to completely prevent pancreatitis at this time because there are various factors for occurrence of post-ERCP pancreatitis.One of the most frequent causes of post-ERCP pancreatitis is considered to be congestion of pancreatic juice associated with duodenal papilledema after examination or treatment. Recently it is often reported that use of a pancreatic duct stent may prevent occurrence of pancreatitis which occurs because of an increased inner pressure of the pancreatic duct caused by congestion of pancreatic juice associated with duodenal papilledema. However, there are some patients who develop pancreatitis even if treated with the pancreatic duct stent, thus further clarification of the pathology and advancement of the prophylactic method will be needed.

Complications and survival in patients undergoing colonic stenting for malignant obstruction

AIM:To investigate whether predicting patients that might be at a higher risk for complications might serve to improve the selection of patients undergoing colonic stenting.METHODS:A retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent an attempted self-expandable metal stent(SEMS)insertion for malignant colonic obstruction between November 2006 and March 2013.All patients were either referred for preoperative colonic decompression with the intent of a single surgical procedure,or for palliation of the malignant colorectal obstruction for unresectable cancer.Fisher’s test orχ2test was performed on categorical variables,and the t test for continuous variables.Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to examine the association between independent variables and the presence of complications from SEMS insertion.RESULTS:SEMS insertion was attempted in 73 patients.Males comprised 55.71%and the mean age was 67.41±12.41 years.Of these,65.15%underwent subsequent surgery,while 34.85%received SEMS as palliation for advanced disease.Extracolonic tumors were only4.76%.The majority of patients had stageⅣdisease(63.83%),while the remainder had stageⅢ(36.17%).SEMS were successfully inserted in 93.85%(95%CI:87.85%-99.85%).Perforations occurred in 4.10%,SEMS migration in 8.21%,and stent re-occlusion from ingrowth occurred in 2.74%of patients.The mean duration of follow up for the patients was 13.52±17.48 mo(range 0-73 mo).None of the variables:age,sex,time between the onset of symptoms to SEMS insertion,time between SEMS insertion and surgery,length of the stenosis,location of the stenosis,albumin level,or receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy,could predict the development of complications from either SEMS insertion nor prolonged survival.CONCLUSION:None of the variables could predict the development of complications or survival.Further studies are required to identify patients who would benefit the most from SEMS.

Management of endoscopic biliary stenting for choledocholithiasis: Evaluation of stent-exchange intervals

AIM To evaluate the best management of plastic stents in patients with choledocholithiasis who were unfit for endoscopic stone removal or surgery. METHODS Between April 2007 and September 2017, 87 patients(median age 83.7 years) with symptomatic choledocholithiasis were treated with insertion of 7-Fr plastic stents because complete endoscopic stone retrieval was difficult, and their general condition was not suitable for surgery. Seventy of these patients agreed to regular stent management and stent exchange was carried out at every 6 mo(Group A, n = 35) or every 12 mo(Group B, n = 35). The remaining 17 patients did not accept regular stent exchange, and stents were replaced when clinical symptoms appeared(Group C). We evaluated the frequency of biliary complication and stent patency rate during follow-up periods. RESULTS The patency rate of biliary plastic stents was 91.4% at 6 mo(Group A) and 88.6% at 12 mo(Group B), respectively. Acute cholangitis occurred in 2.9% of Group A patients and in 8.6% of Group B patients. In Group C, median stent patency was 16.3 mo, and stent exchange was carried out in 70.6% of cases because of acute cholangitis or obstructive jaundice. Although a high incidence of acute cholangitis occurred, there was no biliary-related mortality. CONCLUSION Plastic stent exchange at 12-mo intervals is considered a safe procedure for patients with choledocholithiasis. Long-term biliary stenting increases biliary complications, but it can be an acceptable option for select patients who are medically unfit for further invasive procedures.

Managing acute colorectal obstruction by 'bridge stenting' to laparoscopic surgery: Our experience

AIM: To verify the clinical results of the endoscopic stenting procedure for colorectal obstructions followed by laparoscopic colorectal resection with 'one stage anastomosis'. METHODS: From March 2003 to March 2009 in our surgical department, 48 patients underwent endoscopic stenting for colorectal occlusive lesion: 30 males (62.5%) and 18 females (37.5%) with an age range from 40 years to 92 years (median age 69.5). All patients enrolled in our study were diagnosed with an intestinal obstruction originating from the colorectal tract without bowel perforation signs. Obstruction was primitive colorectal cancer in 45 cases (93.7%) and benign anastomotic stricture in 3 cases (6.3%). RESULTS: Surgical resection was totally laparoscopic in 69% of cases (24 patients) while 17% (6 patients) of cases were video-assisted due to the local extension of cancer with infiltrations of surrounding structures (urinary bladder in 2 cases, ileus and iliac vessels in the others). In 14% of cases (5 patients), resection was performed by open surgery due to the high American Society of Anesthesiologists score and the elderly age of patients (median age of 89 years). We performed a terminal stomy in only 7 patients out of 35, 6 colostomies and one ileostomy (in a total colectomy). In the other 28 cases (80%), we performed bowel anastomosis at the same time as resection, employing a temporary ileostomy only in 5 cases. CONCLUSION: Colorectal stenting transforms an emergency operation in to an elective operation performable in a totally laparoscopic manner, limiting the confection of colostomy with its correlated complications.