Bile Duct Stenting: A Comparison of the One-Action Stent Introduction System with the Conventional Delivery System

Abstract

Background and Study Aims: A “One-Action Stent Insertion System” (OASIS) for use with biliary stents has been produced, which is said to be easier to use than conventional insertion systems. The aim of this study was to assess whether there was any measurable difference in the technique in a comparison between the two methods.

Patients and Methods: A prospective study was carried out. Twenty consecutive patients requiring stents for biliary obstructing lesions were randomly allocated to have the stent inserted either using the OASIS system or the conventional system. All the stent insertions were performed by two experienced endoscopists. The actual time of the insertion procedure and the screening time were recorded.

Results: Patients' tolerance for the procedure was similar in the two groups. In nine out of ten OASIS stent insertions, the endoscopist considered the procedure to be easy, compared with five out of ten conventional stent placements. Both techniques resulted in satisfactory positioning of the stent in nine out of ten patients. Although there was no statistically significant difference in the screening times for the two methods (p = 0.16), the actual time taken using the conventional method was significantly longer than with the OASIS method (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The One-Action Stent Insertion Set (OASIS) allows easier insertion of biliary stents. The system decreases the number of exchanges that need to be undertaken, precluding inadvertent wire displacement and the need to reinitiate cannulation and guide wire insertion. The actual time required for insertion is significantly less using this method, and this may also reduce the radiation exposure.