In palliative biliary tumor treatment, various methods achieve relief of symptoms
owing to adequate bile drainage. Endoscopically placed endopros-theses are suitable
for the majority of patients with malignant biliary stenoses. However, migration and
clogging of stents frequently impair the success of therapy. Tumor debulking by laser
therapy or intraluminal irradiation and endoscopically controlled implantation of
self-expanding biliary stents with a large diameter and a small surface area may improve
the long-term results. Peroral or percutaneous cholangioscopy facilitate the application
and the follow-up checks of these recently developed methods. Endoscopy of the biliary
tree is warranted to determine the future role of the various strategies in biliary
tumor therapy.
Biliary tumors - Biliary obstruction - Cholangioscopy - Endoprostheses - Metallic
stent - Brachytherapy - Laser therapy
