Bile Duct Strictures

A bile duct stricture is a condition caused by narrowing of the bile duct. It prevents bile from draining into the intestine resulting in bile back up in the liver and spills over into the blood causing obstructive jaundice.

There are many causes for biliary stricture and narrowed areas of the bile ducts that can be either benign or malignant (cancerous). Bile duct strictures may be associated with active diseases or may be scarring left over from the passage of a gallstone or from a previous surgery.

Cancerous bile duct strictures are caused by bile duct cancer and pancreatic cancer. Benign (non-cancerous) bile duct strictures may develop from chronic pancreatitis, and trauma to the bile duct during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy for gallstone.