Background: Carcinoma of the gallbladder is a major cause of malignant obstructive jaundice in India. It usually presents at an advanced stage and endoscopic palliation is the mainstay of treatment. We prospectively studied our results with endoscopic stenting in patients with carcinoma of the gallbladder.
Methods: Patients unfit for surgery were included in the study. Straight 10F plastic prostheses were placed endoscopically. Patients were assessed for procedure success, early and late complications, and stent patency.
Results: The success rate of stent placement was 84% (27 of 32). The five failures were caused by an inability to pass the guide wire across the stricture. Relief of pruritus and reduction in jaundice was seen in 25 of 27 (92%) patients. Double stents were placed in three patients. Four patients (11%) developed cholangitis in the first 30 days. Stent occlusion was detected in four patients after longer follow-up. The 30-day mortality was 5 of 27 (18%). There were no procedure-related deaths.
Conclusion: Endoscopic endoprosthesis is a safe and relatively effective palliative measure for the majority of patients with unresectable carcinoma of the gallbladder.