Retrospective Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2022. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastrointest Endosc. Sep 16, 2022; 14(9): 547-554
Published online Sep 16, 2022. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v14.i9.547
Endoscopic therapy using a self-expandable metallic stent with an anti-migration system for postorthotopic liver transplantation anastomotic biliary stricture
Larissa Wermelinger Pinheiro, Fernanda Prata Martins, Gustavo Andrade De Paulo, Mônica Lúcia Campos Contini, Angelo Paulo Ferrari, Ermelindo Della Libera
Larissa Wermelinger Pinheiro, Angelo Paulo Ferrari, Ermelindo Della Libera, Department of Gastroenterology, Federal University of São Paulo/Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo 04023-900, Brazil
Fernanda Prata Martins, Gustavo Andrade De Paulo, Mônica Lúcia Campos Contini, Angelo Paulo Ferrari, Ermelindo Della Libera, Department of Endoscopy Unit, Hosp Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo 04042033, Brazil
Author contributions: Pinheiro LW, Martins FP, Contini MLC, and De Paulo GA contributed to the data acquisition; Pinheiro LW, De Paulo GA, Ferrari AP, and Della Libera E contributed to the data analysis and interpretation; Pinheiro LW contributed to the elaboration of article draft; Martins FP and Contini MLC contributed to the elaboration and review of article draft, critical review for important intellectual content; De Paulo GA contributed to the critical review of final paper for important intellectual content; Ferrari AP and Della Libera E contributed to the critical review and approval of the final submitted version.
Institutional review board statement: This retrospective study was approved by the Institution's Human Research Committee of Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein (No. 37755020.3.0000.0071).
Informed consent statement: All study participants, or their legal guardian, provided informed written consent.
Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) licence, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon this work noncommercially and licence their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is noncommercial. See https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Ermelindo Della Libera, MD, PhD, Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Endoscopy Unit, Hosp Israelita Albert Einstein, Rua Ruggero Fsano, s/n - Pavilhão Vick e Joseph Safra - Piso I3 - Morumbi - SP, São Paulo 04026001, Brazil. edellaliberajr@uol.com.br
Received: February 3, 2022
Peer-review started: February 3, 2022
First decision: April 12, 2022
Revised: April 19, 2022
Accepted: August 6, 2022
Article in press: August 6, 2022
Published online: September 16, 2022
Processing time: 223 Days and 11.2 Hours
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Research background

Endoscopic therapy using multiple plastic stents is the standard therapy for postorthotopic liver transplantation (p-OLT) anastomotic biliary stricture (ABS). However, this approach demands repeated procedures. Recent studies using fully covered self-expandable metallic stents (FCSEMS) have shown encouraging results, but migration occurs in 10% to 40% of cases. We hypothesized that a FCSEMS with an anti-migration system (Am-FCSEMS) could be an alternative for treatment in patients with p-OLT ABS.

Research motivation

The efficacy of treatment using an Am-FCSEMS for p-OLT ABS is not yet well established. The outcomes of endoscopic treatment using this type of stent have become clinically relevant.

Research objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic treatment using an Am-FCSEMS in patients with p-OLT ABS.

Research methods

This study was conducted in a private tertiary care centre in São Paulo, Brazil. From April 2018 to October 2020, patients with p-OLT ABS and indications for endoscopic therapy were included in this study, and an Am-FCSEMS (10 mm in final diameter and 60 or 80 mm in length) was placed (Hanarostent MI Tech, Co).

Research results

Technical success occurred in all 14 patients (100%). There were no cases of distal stent migration. Complete resolution of the stricture occurred in 13/14 patients (92.85%). Adverse events occurred in 3/14 patients (21.42%): 2 patients with mild acute pancreatitis and 1 patient with stent dysfunction (occlusion). No deaths occurred related to therapy. After Am-FCSEMS removal, all 13 patients who had ABS resolution were followed-up for an average of 411 ± 172 d, and there was no stricture recurrence or need for further endoscopic therapy.

Research conclusions

Endoscopy therapy using an Am-FCSEMS for p-OLT ABS is safe and effective, with the stricture´s high-resolution rate probably being due to the absence of stent migration.

Research perspectives

This study shows that treatment using Am-FCSEMS has a high rate of stenosis resolution, probably due to the absence of stent migration, and may result in a lower number of procedures.