A biliary stent is a small tube placed inside a blocked bile duct to hold it open so bile can flow again from the liver to the intestine. When the duct is obstructed — by a gallstone, a stricture, or a tumor — bile backs up, turning the skin and eyes yellow (jaundice), causing itching, pale stools, and dark urine, and risking a dangerous duct infection. A biliary stent relieves that blockage, often through a scope with no surgery at all. This guide explains when biliary stents are used, how plastic and metal stents differ, and what to expect during and after placement.
Why Are Biliary Stents Placed?
The common reasons fall into two groups. Benign obstruction: gallstones lodged in the duct, inflammatory strictures, or narrowing after gallbladder surgery or a transplant. Malignant obstruction: tumors of the pancreas, bile duct (cholangiocarcinoma), or nearby structures pressing on or invading the duct. In cancer, a stent is often placed to relieve jaundice before surgery, or as long-term palliation when an operation is not planned. Whatever the cause, restoring drainage is what stops jaundice and prevents cholangitis, a duct infection that can become life-threatening quickly.
Plastic vs Metal Stents
Plastic stents are inexpensive, easy to place and remove, and ideal when the blockage is temporary or the diagnosis is still being worked up — for example clearing stones or bridging to surgery. Their trade-off is a narrower channel that tends to clog within about three months, so they are exchanged on schedule. Self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) open to a much wider diameter and stay patent far longer, which suits malignant obstruction and long-term drainage; covered versions can sometimes be removed, while uncovered ones embed in the duct wall. INVAMED's NovaFlow biliary stent system sits in this self-expanding category within the broader gastrointestinal and biliary stent portfolio. The endoscopist chooses stent type based on cause, expected duration, and anatomy.
How the Stent Is Placed
Most biliary stents go in during ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography): a scope is passed through the mouth to the point where the bile duct drains into the intestine, a wire crosses the blockage, and the stent is deployed under X-ray guidance. No incision is needed and most patients go home the same day. When the duct cannot be reached endoscopically, a percutaneous (through-the-skin) approach via the liver is used instead. Both restore drainage; the route depends on anatomy and local expertise.
Living With a Biliary Stent
Once drainage is restored, jaundice and itching usually improve within days. The essential thing to understand is that a stent can block or migrate, and a blocked biliary stent can cause cholangitis. Seek urgent care for returning jaundice, fever or chills, or right-upper-abdominal pain — these suggest the stent needs attention. Plastic stents are electively exchanged before they are expected to clog; metal stents are monitored on imaging. As with any indwelling device, the schedule your team sets is not optional.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a biliary stent stay in?
Plastic stents are typically exchanged around every three months; self-expanding metal stents can stay patent for many months to years. The interval is set by stent type and the reason for placement.
Is biliary stent placement painful?
ERCP is done under sedation, so not during the procedure. Mild sore throat or abdominal discomfort afterwards is common and short-lived.
What are the signs of a blocked biliary stent?
Returning jaundice, itching, fever or chills, and abdominal pain. These warrant prompt medical attention because of the infection risk.
What is life expectancy with a bile duct stent?
The stent itself does not determine prognosis — the underlying condition does. For benign disease, stents are often a temporary step; in cancer they relieve symptoms and support other treatments.
Related on INVAMED
Companion: esophageal stents explained. Portfolio: gastrointestinal & biliary stents.
This article is for education only and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment — always consult a qualified physician about your situation. Device availability and regulatory status vary by country; contact INVAMED or your authorized local distributor for current regulatory information applicable to your region.