Kaffes Stent in the Management of Post-surgical Biliary Strictures

Post-surgical biliary strictures are common especially after cholecystectomy. Standard treatment involves the performance of multiple procedures over a 1 year period at least using several plastic stents to achieve permanent dilatation of these strictures. Metallic stents have the theoretical benefit of absence of need of multiple sessions. These strictures however are frequently very close to the hilum and thus previously considered a contraindication for insertion of metallic stents for the fear of occlusion of the contralateral ducts. Metallic stent migration is also a frequent problem. The use of a metallic stent that is short and completely intraductal, in theory, should reduce the risk of stent migration. This is a randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy and safety of a short metallic intraductal stent to the conventional treatment which is multiple plastic stents. In cases with a stricture reaching or close to the hilum a technique is used to avoid obstruction of the contralateral ducts which is insertion of a 7 French plastic stent alongside the metallic stent.