Endoscopic biliary stent placement for bile duct stricture after hepatic artery infusion of 5-FUDR.

Three patients with metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma developed bile duct strictures after treatment of liver metastases by hepatic artery infusion of 5-fluorodeoxyuridine (5-FUDR). All underwent decompression and drainage via endoscopically placed biliary stents, a treatment approach not previously reported in this setting. One patient with recurrent hepatic metastases did not benefit, but two patients with bile duct strictures and tumor regression profited from stent placement and died of nonbiliary tumor-related complications. Stent placement may be helpful in treating patients with persistent and unremitting cholestasis and bile duct strictures in whom tumor regression has followed regional chemotherapy.