Fully Covered Metal Stents for Benign Biliary Strictures Due to Chronic Pancreatitis

Biliary strictures due to chronic pancreatitis are among the most difficult to treat. Historically, these strictures were managed via balloon dilation and plastic stent placement, but plastic stents require frequent maintenance, and their placement side by side can make endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography technically challenging.

In a recent manufacturer-sponsored, multinational, prospective study, researchers evaluated the long-term effectiveness of a fully covered self-expanding metal stent (FCSEMS) to treat biliary strictures due to chronic pancreatitis. They enrolled 118 patients, 82% of whom had previously been treated with plastic stents. Five patients experienced treatment failure and five others experienced complete distal…