Percutaneous Management of Malignant Biliary Obstruction

Malignancy resulting in impaired biliary drainage includes a number of diagnoses familiar to the interventional radiologist. Adequate drainage of such a system can significantly improve patient quality of life, and can facilitate the further treatment options and care of such patients. In the setting of prior instrumentation, cholangitis can present as an urgent indication for drainage. Current initial interventional management of malignant biliary duct obstruction frequently includes endoscopic or percutaneous intervention, with local practices and preprocedural imaging guiding interventional approaches and subsequent management. This article addresses the indications for percutaneous drainage, technical considerations in performing such drainage, and specific techniques useful in attempting to achieve clinical end points in patients with malignant biliary duct obstruction.