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We thank Dr Li and coworkers for their interest in our study1 and insightful comments. They raised the question of the feasibility of the self-expandable metallic stent in our study cohort. We understand that self-expandable metallic stent is preferable to a plastic stent (PS) in patients with malignant distal biliary obstruction because of its longer stent patency, especially in cases requiring a few months of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.2,3 However, we believe that PS remains another good alternative for initial drainage in some circumstances because of its cost-effectiveness.

Source: Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology - October 11, 2021 Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Shin Kato, Masaki Kuwatani Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research