Radioactive Biliary Stents for Unresectable Malignant Obstructive Jaundice

Radioactive or radiolabeled biliary stents have been discussed for many years, but none have come to market in the U.S. These stents could potentially be used in patients with malignant biliary strictures to reduce the rate of tumor ingrowth or overgrowth, increase stent patency, and reduce the need for additional biliary interventions.

To further evaluate the efficacy and safety of radioactive biliary stents in this setting, investigators in China conducted a retrospective, single-center study involving 84 patients with unresectable malignant obstructive jaundice who received a metal biliary stent with or without radioactive I¹²⁵ seeds.

Patients receiving a radioactive stent had significantly longer duration of stent patency than those recei…