A Study of Endobiliary Radiofrequency Ablation in Malignant Biliary Obstructions

Risks, Safety, and Outcomes of Temperature-sensitive Endobiliary Radiofrequency Ablation in Patients With Malignant Biliary Obstructions

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of temperature-sensitive radiofrequency ablation (RFA) immediately before biliary stent placement on duration of biliary stent patency and re-intervention free survival. This is a research study meant to collect information to help other patients with malignant biliary strictures in the future.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Malignant biliary stricture
• participants have or will have a biopsy-confirmed pancreaticobiliary or ampullary malignancy that have agreed to undergo radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with placement of biliary stents
• Patients with life expectancy greater than 3 months
• Able to provide consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients who are pregnant
• Patients with cirrhosis
• Patients with significant liver metastasis >30% on radiologic imaging suggestive of poor liver function that will not improve despite endoscopic drainage.
• Patients who have undergone prior biliary decompression stents or percutaneous drainage that cannot be removed at time of ERCP and thus preclude effective RFA
• Patients with altered anatomy unable to undergo conventional ERCP (i.e., history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass)