Percutaneous endobiliary radiofrequency ablation and stent placement for unresectable malignant biliary obstruction: a propensity score matching retrospective study.

Background: Whether endobiliary radiofrequency ablation (EB-RFA) changes the standard role of stent placement in treating unresectable malignant biliary obstruction (MBO) remains unclear. The aim of this study is to compare percutaneous EB-RFA and metal stent placement (RFA-Stent) with metal stent placement alone (Stent) in treating unresectable MBO using a propensity score matching (PSM) analysis.

Methods: From June 2013 to June 2018, clinical data from 163 patients with malignant biliary obstruction who underwent percutaneous RFA-Stent or stenting alone were retrospectively analyzed using a nearest-neighbor algorithm to one-to-one PSM analysis to compare primary and secondary stent patency (PSP, SSP), overall survival (OS) and complications between the two groups.

Results: Before matching, for whole patients, RFA-Stent resulted in longer median PSP (8.0 vs. 5.1 months, P = 0.003), SSP (9.8 vs. 5.1 months, P < 0.001) and OS (7.0 vs. 4.5 months, P = 0.034) than the Stent group. After matching (54 pairs), RFA-Stent also resulted in better median PSP (8.5 vs. 5.1 months, P < 0.001), SSP (11.0 vs. 6.0 months, P < 0.001), and OS (8.0 vs. 4.0 months, P = 0.007) than Stent. RFA-Stent was comparable with Stent for complication rates. In Cox analysis, RFA-Stent modality and serum total bilirubin level were independent prognostic factors for PSP. RFA-Stent modality, performance status score and combination therapy after stent were independent prognostic factors for OS.

Conclusion: Percutaneous RFA-Stent was superior to Stent in terms of PSP, SSP, and OS in selected patients with unresectable MBO.