Early infectious complications of percutaneous metallic stent insertion for malignant biliary obstruction.

OBJECTIVE

This study was designed to evaluate predisposing factors for early infectious complications after percutaneous metallic biliary stent insertion in patients with malignant biliary obstruction.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

From August 1999 to June 2008, 215 consecutively registered patients with inoperable malignant biliary obstruction were treated with percutaneous placement of a metallic stent. The incidence of early infectious complications was evaluated. Sex, age, level of obstruction, type and number of stents, and stent position (across or above the main duodenal papilla) were retrospectively reviewed. The findings in patients with early infectious complications were compared with those in patients without early infectious complications.

RESULTS

Infectious complications occurred within 30 days after stent placement in 14 of 215 (6.5%) patients. Univariate analysis showed a significant difference between the two groups with respect to nontranspapillary stent placement (p=0.003). In the multiple logistic regression analysis, age, sex, level of obstruction, and type and number of stents were negatively associated with the development of early infectious complications (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Our study data showed that stent placement across the main duodenal papilla seemed to prevent early infectious complications after percutaneous metallic biliary stent insertion in patients with malignant biliary obstruction.