Comparison of Biliary Stent and Nasobiliary Drain in Patients with Biliary Leak After Cholecystectomy

Dear Editor, We are writing to express our appreciation for the recent publication in the Balıkesir Medical Journal Research titled " Comparison of Biliary Stent and Nasobiliary Drain in Patients with Biliary Leak After Cholecystectomy " by Ayte et al (Ayta et al., 2024). This study is valuable in terms of comparing the two main treatment modalities used in the treatment of biliary leakage. In the managment of the biliary leakage, nasobiliary tubes and biliary stent placement are widely used. The goal of the both endoscopic treatment is to reduce intra-biliary pressure and allow for fistula closure (Pioche & Ponchon, 2013). Among these modalities, the advantage of nasobiliary drainage is to allows for frequent contrast evaluation to monitor the efficiency of the treatment and to determine the exact duration of therapy required. However, the nosebiliary stent is a serious discomfort for patients, since the distal end of the nasobiliary tube is in the nasal cavity. In addition, patients may experience difficulties with feeding (Elmi & Silverman, 2005). In this research, authors reported that both biliary stent and nasobiliary drainage were effective methods in the treatment of biliary leakage. However, in the nasobiliary drainage group, the lenght of hospital stay was longer. In addition, in the biliary stent group, the rate of ERCP related complication was lower. In the light of these findings, biliary stents can be safely used as an alternative to nasobiliary drainage in the treatment of biliary leakage due to their equal efficacy, less complication rate and hospitalization lenght. While the findings of this study are encouraging, the limited patient population from a single center indicates that further studies with larger cohorts would provide more generalizable data. Overall, we congratulate the authors for their contribution to advancing knowledge on the management of biliary leak.