Abstract:Objective To evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of ultra?fine metal stents for malignant hilar biliary strictures (MHBS). Methods Ultra?fine metal stents were simultaneously placed into the intrahepatic duct of 30 patients with unresectable malignant hilar biliary strictures of Bismuth type Ⅱ or higher (based on imaging or histological and/or cytological findings) by using the stent?by?stent mode from January 2014 to June 2021 at the Department of Gastroenterology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgical Hospital. The technical success rate, clinical efficacy and incidence of complications were observed. Results The technical success rate was 100.0% (30/30), and the clinical success was achieved in 28 patients (93.3%) . The mean procedure time was 55.7±20.7 min and the placement time was 28.3±18.2 min. Early adverse events included mild acute pancreatitis (n=2) and cholangitis (n=5). The median stent patency and the median overall survival were 243 days (95%CI: 186.6?299.4 days) and 237 days (95%CI: 149.0- 325.0 days), respectively. The incidence of late cholangitis was 36.7% (11/30). Stent malfunction occurred in 14 of the 30 patients, and 5 of them received endoscopic reintervention. The technical success rate for the reintervention was 4/5 with the mean procedure time of 49.8±6.9 min. Conclusion Malignant hilar biliary obstruction endoscopic palliation with ultra-fine metal stents using the stent-by-stent mode is safe, feasible and effective.