Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Drainage

PTBD is a procedure to drain bile to relieve pressure in the bile ducts when the ducts are obstructed due to any cause and bile flow is blocked into the intestine.

Your Biliary System

Bile is a fluid made by your liver and it helps in the digestion of fat. The bile is passed into the intestine through a series of branching tubes called bile ducts

If there is a blockage in your bile ducts due to scar tissue or tumor / cancer the bile can no longer flow into the intestine and it collects in liver giving rise to obstructive jaundice. It can also cause infection, Nausea, Vomiting, Itching and fever.

Biliary Drainage Procedure

If your bile duct is blocked your doctor may advise you for a biliary drainage procedure. This will allow the bile to drain from your liver.

This drainage procedure can be done either by Endoscopic route or through percutaneous approach from skin surface. If you’re not suitable for endoscopic approach this procedure is done by Interventional Radiologists.

It can be done using a catheter which comes out of your skin surface and is connected to a bag outside which collects bile.

It can also be done by using a metallic stent which is a cylindrical mesh like long tube placed inside the bile duct to widen it and open the blockage site.