Bile duct strictures
An overview of Providence Health Care's services and resources for patients with bile duct strictures.
Overview
Bile duct strictures are a condition where bile cannot flow easily from your liver to your small intestine.
Bile is a liquid that your liver makes to help digest food. Normally, tubes called bile ducts carry bile from your liver to your small intestine. You have strictures when your bile ducts are too narrow. Less bile flows to your small intestine, and bile builds up in your liver.
Illnesses, scars from surgery, cancer and pancreatitis can cause bile duct strictures.
Diagnosis & testing
If you have signs of a bile duct stricture, your healthcare provider may refer you to a gastroenterologist. This is a physician who specializes in digestive and gastrointestinal (GI) conditions.
If you are referred to our team at Province Health Care, we will likely order blood tests to check your bile levels and how your liver is working.
These tests include:
We may also send you for imaging tests. These tests include:
Treatment & management
To treat bile duct strictures, we will widen your bile ducts back to their normal size.
If an infection caused your bile ducts to narrow, we will prescribe antibiotics. These medicines will treat the infection and reduce inflammation.
If your bile duct strictures have a different cause, we can widen them by:
- Draining them
- Removing any gallstones
- Inserting a stent
Sometimes, we can widen your bile ducts during diagnostic tests that use an endoscope. These include the ERCP and PTC tests.
In rare cases, you may need surgery to correct the size of your bile ducts.
Clinics that treat bile duct strictures
Support services
Providence Health Care offers a variety of services to support those we care for. The following services may be of use or benefit to you and your families.
Support for Indigenous Peoples
The Indigenous Wellness Liaison Team is here to support your health journey. Team members offer cultural support and healthcare advocacy. Learn more below or call them at 604-682-2344,62937 or email IWL@providencehealth.bc.ca.
Education & resources
Clinical trials & research
Advances in treatments for bile duct strictures are all thanks to medical research. While participating in research is a decision you should make in consultation with your care team, there is much activity in this field. Please ask us about our research programs if you’re interested.
By taking part in research, you can help us all learn more about heart disease. You can also help us find better ways to help people like you live and thrive. Even if you don't benefit directly, your participation can help care for future patients.
The following clinical trials are currently enrolling volunteers. Please ask your care team for more information. You can also contact the research team listed on each study or trial. For other information about research at Providence Health Care, please visit Providence Research.