Covered self-expanding metal stents for postoperative bile leaks: is the expense worth the expanse?

摘要

The question raised in this month's Gastrointestinal En-doscopy article by KahaLeh et al1 is an intriguing one: Is there a role for covered self-expanding metal stents (CSEMS) in postoperative bile leaks, specifically in "complex" postoperative bile leaks? In their discussion, the authors recognize that endoscopic, percutaneous, and surgical interventions are available and are well established. However, they con-tend that a subgroup of patients with failed initial endoscopic therapy or who have severe co-morbidities may benefit from a larger-bore CSEMS as their primary endoscopic en dopros thesis.