Arthur looked at the stone, grateful it was no longer inside him. He thought about the complex plumbing of the human body, and how a single blocked pipe could turn a man to gold. He closed his eyes, finally able to sleep without the itch, imagining the golden river flowing freely once more.
He guided a thin, hollow plastic tube—a stent—over a guidewire and pushed it deep into the bile duct. Once deployed, it sprang open, acting as a scaffold. It would keep the channel patent (open), allowing the backed-up bile to drain freely while the inflammation subsided. how to unclog a blocked bile duct
Usually outpatient or short hospital stay; mild throat soreness or bloating possible. Arthur looked at the stone, grateful it was
When Arthur woke up, the room seemed brighter. He guided a thin, hollow plastic tube—a stent—over
As the yellow bile rushed past the stent and into the intestine, the pressure in Arthur’s biliary tree finally released.
The symptoms of a blocked bile duct can vary depending on the location and severity of the blockage. Common symptoms include:
Two days later, Arthur found himself in a procedural suite, counting backward from ten as the sedation took hold.