Biliary Obstruction

The bile is a digestive fluid that is secreted by the liver and being stored in the gallbladder. This is released into the duodenum, the portion of the small intestine through the sphincter of Oddi. Bile released after a meal containing fats, it aids in the absorption and digestion of the fat.

Biliary obstruction occurs when the duct that transports bile from the liver to the small intestine (duodenum) is blocked by a stone, a tumor, an injury or an inflammation of any of the ducts. A tumor that can be find in the pancreas may press in on the ducts which will cause the backup of bile in the gallbladder. Blood tests may indicate a high levels of bilirubin, a waste product of the liver. The diagnosis may come from an endoscopic examination. If it is left untreated, the biliary obstruction can cause life-threatening infection or chronic liver disease.

The placement of stent is also one method of relieving a blockage of the bile duct due to pancreatic tumors. Stent is a device designated to hold tube-shaped structures open. An endoscope is an instrument placed down the throat into the esophagus, through the stomach to the duodenum of the intestines. This helps the surgeon to see the blockage and to place the stent in the correct position. A dye may be injected and x-ray images taken to insure the stent is correctly placed and the flow of the bile is restored.

Once the flow of the bile is restored, the threat of infection and inflammation is decreased. However, the prognosis may also not be significantly altered if the pancreatic carcinoma is otherwise untreatable. Reoccurence of the blockage may occur, thus requiring further surgery or replacement of the stent.