BACKGROUND AND AIMS In patients with unresectable malignant biliary obstruction (MBO), endoscopic drainage with a self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) is a well-established treatment, but stent patency is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of in-stent radiofrequency ablation (IS-RFA) followed by uncovered SEMS placement for the management of occluded SEMSs.

METHODS From 2016 to 2020, 48 patients with recurrent biliary obstruction due to tumor ingrowth or overgrowth after SEMS placement for pancreatobiliary cancer in 3 tertiary hospitals were analyzed. For distal MBO, patients in the RFA group were treated with IS-RFA and uncovered SEMS placement, and those in the control group were treated with uncovered SEMS placement alone. Patients in both groups were matched on the basis of propensity scores in a 1:1 ratio.

RESULTS The median time to recurrent biliary obstruction (TRBO) was 117 days in the RFA group and 82.5 days in the control group (P = .029). No significant differences in median overall survival were detected between the 2 groups (170 days vs 72 days; P = .902). No significant adverse events were reported after the second SEMS placement in either group, but 2 cases of mild cholangitis were reported in the control group. Ablation was interrupted in 5 patients (35.7%) of the RFA group owing to in-stent contact, but sufficient ablative energy was delivered in the majority of the patients (92.9%) after IS-RFA was repeated in the same session.

CONCLUSIONS IS-RFA followed by an uncovered SEMS is safe and feasible and may improve TRBO as a stent revision for occluded SEMSs in pancreatobiliary cancer.