OBJECTIVE

To find out how patients fared after palliative endoscopic biliary drainage for inoperable hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

University hospital, the Netherlands.

SUBJECTS

Between 1992 and 1999, 41 patients who were referred for resection had tumours that were considered unresectable after additional investigations, including an exploratory laparotomy in 16 patients. In all patients, biliary drainage was established by endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERCP) and insertion of endoprostheses. Twelve patients also had percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD).

RESULTS

The patients who did not have an exploratory laparotomy had fewer complications (1/25) than those who had explorations (4/16). All patients in both groups had one or more long-term complications during follow-up, of which cholangitis, jaundice, and abdominal pain were the most often recorded. In 32 patients, endoprostheses had to be replaced, a mean of 4 times. Median survival was 9 months, with no significant difference between the groups (8 and 11 months). Adjuvant radiotherapy had no influence on survival.

CONCLUSION

The patients in this series had relatively long survival times, during which they had a substantial number of complications predominantly related to biliary drainage. Because biliary-enteric bypass operations result in effective relief of symptoms and excellent palliation, we suggest that when an exploration is done for patients with type III and IV tumours, a bypass should be made.