PARTIALLY COVERED VERSUS UNCOVERED SELF-EXPANDIBLE METAL STENTS IN THE PALLIATIVE TREATMENT OF MALIGNANT DISTAL BILIARY OBSTRUCTION

Abstract

Kyo-Sang Yoo: NO financial relationship with a commercial interest Background/Aims: Self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs) are commonly used to relieve malignant biliary obstruction. Covered self-expandable metal stents (CSEMSs) were introduced to improve the patency of SEMSs by preventing tissue ingrowth. Unlike uncovered self-expandable metal stents (USEMSs), which are integrated into the tumor or duct wall, CSEMSs do not embed, but has an increased risk of migration. Although several retrospective studies comparing these two types of stents for malignant biliary obstruction have shown longer patency with CSEMSs, prospective, randomized trials have not been able to confirm these results.