We are committed to providing patients with the highest level of surgical care, as well as education about their treatment options.
Cholecystectomy (Gallbladder Removal)
Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (Panendoscopy)
Gallbladder Removal (Cholecystectomy)
Pancreatoduodenectomy (Whipple Procedure)
A type of cancer that begins in the gland cells of the body.
An X-ray examination of the bile ducts using an intravenous dye.
A computerized X-ray procedure that produces cross-sectional images of the body layer by layer.
A flexible, lighted scope used to look at tissue inside the body.
A plastic or metal tube used to provide support during or after a surgical repair.
Non-invasive test that uses high frequency sound waves to produce images of the inside of the body.
Bile duct obstruction can be caused by an abnormal enlargement of the bile duct or by bile duct cancer. The majority of bile duct cancers develop in the part of the ducts outside the liver. Most develop from the glandular cells of the bile duct (adenocarcinomas).
In order to diagnose your condition, your physician may perform an ultrasound or CT scan, or may conduct a cholangiography, which is an X-ray examination of the bile ducts using an intravenous dye. In some cases, a biopsy may be performed to take tissue samples, or an ERCP, which examines internal organs with the use of a long, flexible lighted tube called an endoscope, which is guided through the patient’s mouth and throat.
After discussing your medical history and performing any needed diagnostic procedures, your physician will determine the treatment necessary based on your overall health as well as the extent and expected course of the disease.
Benign cysts can be removed either by an open or laparoscopic procedure. In an open procedure, an incision is made and the abnormal segment of the bile duct is completely removed. The small intestine is then brought up to the bile duct and sutured to the normal bile duct so that bile secretions are routed back into the intestine.
In certain patients, laparoscopic surgery may be considered. During this procedure, a series of small incisions are made and the cyst is completely removed. A segment of small intestine is brought up and sutured to the normal bile duct so that bile secretion into the intestine is maintained. This procedure is only performed on patients with favorable anatomy.
Treatments may include a surgical procedure to remove cancerous as well as nearby noncancerous tissue, or to relieve blockage of the bile duct. If the cancer is near the liver, part of the liver may be removed, as well as the bile duct, gallbladder and possibly part of the pancreas and small intestine. The remaining portion of the bile duct may be connected to the small intestine, and a stent may be inserted into the duct to keep it open.
Chemotherapy may be used before surgery to shrink the tumor or when surgery is not an option. Radiation therapy may also be recommended following surgery.