1.   Endoscopic stent placement was successful in all cases.

2.   Two patients developed epithelial hyperplasia within the stent resulting in recurrent cholestasis for one and jaundice for the other, three and six months after stent placement, respectively.

3.   All remaining seven patients with leakage or strictures, or both were successfully treated by endoscopic sphincterotomy only or sphincterotomy and subsequent stent placement.

4.   Occasionally, however, stent placement can become feasible after endoscopic clip removal.

5.   However, new technologies to filter and catch stroke-threatening plaques dislodged during stent placement appear to cut those hazards, Al-Mubarak says.

6.   The drug is released gradually into the cells of the arterial wall after stent placement.