Bile Duct Surgery
Pancreatic and biliary duct surgeons at Cedars-Sinai use advanced techniques to treat conditions of the bile ducts. From bile duct cysts to bile duct cancer, we help relieve pain and other symptoms so you can feel better.
Why Bile Duct Surgery?
Bile ducts are the drainpipes that connect your liver, pancreas and gallbladder, allowing bile to digest food and cleanse the organs of waste. When bile ducts become inflamed or obstructed, waste backs up from the liver and empties into the blood stream. You may experience pain and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). Surgery can help relieve your symptoms.
Bile Duct Conditions We Treat Surgically
Our team often recommends surgery to help with conditions such as:
- Ampullary cancer
- Bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma)
- Bile duct cysts
- Biliary pancreatitis
- Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPNM)
- Primary sclerosing cholangitis
Bile Duct Surgery We Perform at Cedars-Sinai
Surgeons at Cedars-Sinai use robotic and minimally invasive techniques to drain the bile ducts, place stents and, in some cases, remove bile ducts.
Bile Duct Draining (Endoscopic Pancreatic Therapy)
Draining the bile ducts requires the delicate touch of expertly trained gastroenterologists. We typically perform this minimally invasive procedure to relieve pain from biliary pancreatitis, bile duct obstructions and pancreatic stones.
We insert a small tube with a camera into your mouth and thread it to the bile duct. Then we may drain or place a stent in the tube to relieve pressure from bile buildup. If we find a cyst or tumor, we remove a tissue sample for testing (biopsy).
Bile Duct Stenting
We place a small, expandable device (stent) into the duct. The device supports areas of the bile duct walls that have become weak from either a tumor or obstruction. Some stents are temporary, but some permanently keep the bile ducts open.
Biliary Bypass
When bile ducts become blocked by tumors or cysts, we can reroute the path for bile to drain from the organs. We connect the healthy part of the blocked duct to a new, unblocked duct. Typically, we perform biliary bypasses for tumors that we are unable to completely remove.
Laparoscopic and Robotic Bile Duct Resection (Removal)
Our experts are trained in both minimally invasive and robotic surgery to remove cancerous bile ducts and any other cancerous tissue nearby. These surgical techniques reduce pain, scarring and recovery time. You can quickly move on to the next step in your care, often chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Cedars-Sinai Pain Relief Center
Some biliary conditions can cause chronic pain, impacting your daily activities as well as your mental health. Cedars-Sinai helps you find relief as you work with our experts in:
- Anesthesiology
- Behavioral medicine
- Chiropractic
- Complementary medicine
- Dentistry
- Physiatry
- Physical therapy
- Psychopharmacology
You don't have to live with pain. Find out more about how we can help at the Cedars-Sinai Pain Center.
Have Questions or Need Help?
To make an appointment or refer a patient, call the Pancreatic & Biliary Surgery Program. You can also have us call you back at your convenience.
8900 Beverly Blvd., Suite 250
Los Angeles, CA 90048