Biliary stents: models and methods for endoscopic stenting.

Biliary stenting is widely used to palliate malignant obstruction or to treat benign biliary diseases. Recently, the most important changes have related to self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs), which are now available in a wide variety of designs, and to treatment techniques. This article is part of a combined publication that expresses the current view of the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) about endoscopic biliary stenting: a technology review describes the stent models and stenting techniques, and a separate clinical guideline states the evidence and recommendations regarding stenting.