Strategy of the Biliary Drainage: Diagnosis of the Obstructive Jaundice and the Method of the Biliary Drainage

Abstract

The biliary tract is a bile outflow tract. Most of the biliary tract cancers develop obstructive jaundice. Diagnosis of biliary tract cancer with obstructive jaundice is planned according to the algorithm of the guideline. In resectable cases, precise preoperative diagnosis is important for radical resection. In actual clinical practice at each institute, some of empirical factors may affect the determination of the strategy of the biliary drainage. ENBD after diagnostic ERCP-related procedures is preferable. EBD is acceptable when the management is difficult due to such as long preoperative waiting period. For unresectable cases, it is important to select a drainage method considering the availability of re-interventions.