1.   As ingrowth and subsequent reocclusion seems to be tumour related, we studied this new treatment method in patients with severe CP and benign symptomatic biliary stricture.

2.   Self expandable biliary stents have been used for palliative treatment of malignant biliary strictures.

3.   As obstruction in these cases is because of the tumoral process itself, we postulated that their longterm patency in benign biliary strictures was likely to be better.

4.   We chose to treat patients with CP associated biliary strictures with these devices for two reasons.

5.   Samples for exfoliative cytology are simple to obtain, the results are highly specific and should be a routine part of the investigation of biliary strictures.

6.   A Chiba needle cholangiogram was obtained and the biliary stricture shown.

7.   Does cholangiography establish the nature of a biliary stricture?

8.   External imaging and cholangiography cannot, however, differentiate benign from malignant biliary strictures.

9.   Reports on the clinical use of endobiliary biopsy forceps are limited and their place in the investigation of biliary strictures remains to be established.