European radiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial
No evidence of improved efficacy of covered stents over uncovered stents in percutaneous palliation of malignant hilar biliary obstruction: results of a prospective randomized trial.
To investigate whether covered stents show a higher efficacy than uncovered stents in percutaneous treatment of malignant hilar biliary obstruction. ⋯ • Percutaneous palliation of hilar biliary obstruction is feasible with both uncovered and covered stents. • Clinical success in terms of bilirubin decrease and adjuvant chemotherapy is achievable with both stents. • Thirty-day mortality is considerable when stenting is also offered to patients with a low performance status.