Abstract
Commentary: There now are a wide variety of self-expandable metal stents (SEMS) available to the endoscopist for treatment of biliary obstruction. Furthermore, there is increasing availability of stents with different designs and configurations; stents that are fully covered, uncovered, or partially covered; and several methods of stent deployment. Also, the clinical indications for use of SEMS are expanding to potentially include benign biliary tract disease as well as preoperative usage in potentially resectable malignant disease. In this Clinical Update, Dr Todd H. Baron reviews this topic, focusing on comparative clinical outcome studies of metal vs plastic stents for treatment of biliary obstruction. In addition, Dr Baron discusses possible complications of SEMS and how to manage them. – Richard C. K. Wong, MD, FASGE, Editor University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, OH
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