Inside stent placement is suitable for preoperative biliary drainage in patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma

Abstract Background/Purpose Endoscopic biliary stenting (EBS) is commonly used for preoperative drainage of localized perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (LPHC). This study retrospectively compared the utility of inside stent (IS) and conventional stent (CS) for preoperative EBS in patients with LPHC. Methods EBS was performed in 56 patients with LPHC. EBS involved the placement of a CS (n = 32) or IS (n = 24). Treatment outcomes were compared between these two groups. Results Preoperative recurrent biliary obstruction (RBO) occurred in 23 patients (71.9%) in the CS group and 7 (29.2%) in the IS group, with a significant difference (p = 0.002). The time to RBO (TRBO) was significantly longer in IS than in CS (log-rank: p