Biliary Stricture

Biliary stricture is a condition occurring when the bile duct becomes thinner, narrower, and constricted. The bile duct is a thin tubular structure that carries bile from the liver to the small bowel. Bile is a substance that helps in the digestion of fatty food.

When the bile ducts become narrow and constricted, it becomes difficult to pass bile from the liver to the small bowel. The reduction of bile in the small bowel leads to difficulty in digestion. Also, when it is not excreted, it accumulates within the body, creating problems such as abnormal liver function tests.

Treatment
Symptoms
  • Chills and fever
  • Pain in the upper right abdomen
  • Nausea
  • Itching
  • Grey-pale-colored stool
  • Jaundice (in some advanced cases)
Causes

Some known causes for the occurrence of bile stricture  are:

  • Damage to bile duct
  • Gallstones in the duct passage
  • Inflammation in the duct
  • Pancreatitis
  • Infection in the bile ducts
  • Cancer in the bile duct or pancreas
Diagnosis

For the appropriate diagnosis, our gall bladder specialist in Pune shall indicate the following test methods:

  • Ultrasound
  • MRI
  • Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography
Treatment

Our GI surgeon treats biliary strictures , which usually includes:

  • Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography – A long flexible tube mounted with a camera called an endoscope is inserted through the esophagus to the small bowel. Then the constricted part is opened wide through stents.
  • Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangiography ( PTHC)– In this procedure, a plastic catheter is inserted in the biliary tree, and the constricted part is left open with the plastic catheter.
  • Surgery : It is required when there is complete blockage of the bile duct or ther is suspicion of cancer