Intimal hyperplasia within biliary Wallstents: failure of recanalisation by insertion of a second endoprosthesis

We report two patients with benign biliary strictures in whom we-attempted recanalisation of metallic biliary endoprostheses, occluded by intimal hype rplasia, by the insertion of further endoprostheses within the occluded ste nts. Initial technical success was achieved in deploying the stents and res toring patency with elimination of mural filling defects. However, we found the intimal hyperplasia to be restrained for less than 48 h. From our init ial results it appears that biliary metallic stent occlusion by intimal hyp erplasia is not effectively treated by insertion of a second endoprosthesis .