BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Endoscopic stent insertion is the optimum method of palliation for @entity5 . Metal stents have several advantages over the @entity691 alternatives, but are significantly more expensive. It has been reported that @entity1 need to survive beyond 6 months to make metal stents more cost-effective. The aim of this study was to audit the performance of expanding metal biliary stents in our endoscopy unit, and to identify factors that might help with @entity1 selection. METHODS: The records of all @entity1 who were selected for endoscopic metal stent insertion at the Royal Perth Hospital for @entity5 between September 1994 and November 1998 were reviewed. RESULTS: Thirty-two @entity1 (16 males, mean age 71 years (range 34-88 years) were identified and followed up for a mean 201 days (range 3-810 days). Fifteen (47%) had @entity201 , 13 (41%) had @entity788 , and four had metastatic disease as the cause of obstruction. Mortality rates after metal stent insertion were 16, 41 and 55% at 30, 90 and 180 days, respectively. In total, 24 (75%) @entity1 died during the follow-up period. Eleven (34%) stents became obstructed during follow up with a median time to occlusion of 125 days (range 44-729 days). @entity1 with @entity201 had @entity788 cases (median 286 vs 58 days, P = 0.04). No other factors were found to correlate with the survival or stent complications. CONCLUSIONS: Less than half of this mixed cohort survived beyond 6 months. Metal stent palliation of @entity5 should probably be targeted at those with @entity201 , as these @entity1 tend to survive longer.

An audit of metal stent palliation for XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['Patients', 'patients', 'patient'] @entity691 :: ('MESH:D020959', 'Chemical') :: ['polyethylene'] @entity788 :: ('MESH:D010190', 'Disease') :: ['significantly longer survival than pancreatic cancer', 'pancreatic cancer'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['malignant biliary obstruction'] @entity201 :: ('MESH:D018281', 'Disease') :: ['cholangiocarcinoma']
@entity5 :: (MESH:D009369,Disease) :: ['malignant biliary obstruction']
