Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Implantation of plastic and metal biliary stent under digestive endoscopy is an effective means in the treatment of benign and malignant bile duct obstruction. Particularly stent implantation provides great clinical application value for high biliary obstruction in biliary cancer patients who are not suitable for surgical treatment and need to eliminate jaundice, accommodate physiologic drainage, prolong survival, and improve quality of life.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical effects of endoscopic implantation of plastic and metal biliary stents in the treatment of benign and malignant bile duct obstruction, and to explore the biocompatibility of plastic and metal biliary stents with the host.
METHODS: Using “bile duct obstruction, plastic biliary stent, metal biliary stent, biocompatibility” in Chinese and “cerebrovascular disease, stent, biocompatibility” in English as the key words, China Academic Journal Full-text Database (CNKI: 1989/2009) and Medline (1989/2009) database were searched online by the first author. Meta analysis and repeatable studies were excluded. Totally 35 studies were screened and evaluated, focusing on the research progress, complications, and biocompatibility in treatment of plastic and metal biliary stent. 
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Endoscopic biliary stent implantation is the principal means in the treatment of benign and malignant biliary obstruction. Biliary stent includes metal stent and plastic stent. Metal stents have exhibited great advantages in preventing the growth of bacteria and maintaining stent patency, but the price is expensive. Plastic stents are easy for bacterial attachment, biliary sludge deposition causes stent obstruction, but they are easy to replace and low price. The biocompatibility of plastic and metal biliary stents needs to be improved, for patients with malignant biliary obstruction, bile duct stent implantation in combined with radiation therapy will help to prevent stent obstruction. Further observation and studies should investigate the formation of biliary sludge, stent shift and obstruction, as well as the degradation product of stent.