About Biliary SEMS
Key Highlights
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Minimally Invasive: Performed endoscopically, avoiding major surgery and its associated risks.Effective Symptom Relief: Rapidly resolves jaundice, itching (pruritus), and cholangitis (bile duct infection).Durable Solution: Metal stents provide long-term patency and are less likely to clog compared to plastic stents.listrongImproved Quality of Life:/strong Allows patients with advanced cancers to feel better, potentially enabling them to continue further treatments like chemotherapy./lilistrongShorter Hospital Stay:/strong Typically requires only 1-2 days of hospitalization./li/ul
Who is this surgery for?
- Malignant biliary obstruction caused by pancreatic cancer, cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer), or gallbladder cancer.
- Malignant compression of the bile duct from metastatic cancers or lymph nodes.
- Complex benign biliary strictures that have failed treatment with plastic stents.
- Pre-operative drainage before major pancreatic or liver surgery in selected cases.
- Management of bile leaks or fistulas that are not healing with standard treatments.
How to prepare
- Medical Evaluation: Comprehensive review of medical history, current medications, and allergies.
- Imaging: Review of prior scans (CT, MRI) to map the anatomy of the blockage.
- Fasting: Patient must fast (no food or drink) for 6-8 hours before the procedure.
- Medication Adjustment: Instructions to temporarily stop blood thinners (e.g., aspirin, warfarin, clopidogrel) as advised by the doctor.
- Consent & Explanation: Detailed discussion of the procedure, benefits, and potential risks to obtain informed consent.
- Intravenous (IV) Line: An IV line will be placed for sedation and fluids.
Risks & possible complications
- Procedure-Related: Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), bleeding, or perforation (a tear) of the bile duct or intestine.
- Infection: Cholangitis (infection of the bile ducts) or cholecystitis (infection of the gallbladder).
- Stent-Specific: Stent occlusion (blockage) over time, stent migration (movement), or tissue overgrowth at the ends.
- Sedation Risks: Adverse reaction to anesthesia or sedation medications.
- Other: Rare risks include damage to nearby structures or failure to place the stent successfully.
Recovery & hospital stay
- Immediate Post-Procedure: Monitoring in a recovery area for 1-2 hours as sedation wears off. Vital signs are closely watched.
- Hospital Stay: Typically 1-2 days for observation, pain management, and ensuring the stent is functioning (jaundice improves).
- Diet: Start with clear liquids and advance to a normal diet as tolerated, usually within 24 hours.
- Activity: Rest is advised for 24 hours. Avoid driving, operating machinery, or making important decisions for the rest of the day due to sedation.
- Follow-up: Crucial to attend scheduled follow-up appointments for monitoring stent function and managing the underlying condition.
- Symptom Watch: Contact your doctor immediately if you develop severe abdominal pain, fever, chills, worsening jaundice, or black stools.
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Typical hospital stay: 1-2 days
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Expected recovery time: 3-7 days
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are considering biliary sems in India, these questions and answers can help you make a confident, informed decision.
Popular choices for biliary sems in India include Kamineni Hospital, Tadigadapa, SIMS Hospital Vadapalani, KMC Hospital Mangalore, Manipal Hospital Baner, Manipal Hospital Dwarka, known for experienced specialists and advanced surgical infrastructure.
Look at the doctor’s years of experience, hospital association, patient reviews, and how often they perform biliary sems. MediFyr helps you compare gastroenterologists and book consultations online.
The overall cost depends on hospital category, surgeon’s experience, room type, implant or device used (if any), length of stay, tests, and post-operative care. Our team can help you get cost estimates from multiple hospitals before you decide.
Procedure cost in other countries
Here is an overview of how the estimated cost, hospital stay, and recovery time for biliary sems compare across other countries where we have data.
Top hospitals for Biliary SEMS in India
These partner hospitals in India have dedicated gastroenterology teams and experience managing patients undergoing biliary sems.
Diya Verma, a 68-year-old retired school...
Diya Verma, a 68-year-old retired school principal, had been battling pancreatic cancer for two years. She was a pillar of her family, known for her sharp mind and love of gardening. Recently, she developed severe jaundice, turning her skin and eyes a deep yellow, accompanied by relentless itching and dark urine. She felt exhausted and had lost her appetite. Scans revealed a malignant stricture blocking her bile duct, causing the bile to back up into her bloodstream. Her oncologist and gastroenterologist, Dr. Sharma, recommended a Biliary SEMS (Self-Expanding Metal Stent) placement. He explained it was a minimally invasive procedure to open the blockage, drain the bile, and relieve her debilitating symptoms, improving her quality of life. During the ERCP procedure, under sedation, the stent was successfully placed. Post-procedure, Diya's itching subsided within days, and her jaundice gradually faded over two weeks. Her energy improved, allowing her to enjoy short walks in her garden and precious, clear-headed time with her grandchildren. Emotionally, she had felt like a prisoner in her own failing body, frustrated and diminished by the itching and fatigue. After the stent placement, she felt a profound sense of relief and reclaimed agency. While her cancer journey continued, the procedure gave her a crucial period of comfort and dignity, allowing her to focus on living rather than just managing symptoms.
Gastroenterologists for Biliary SEMS
Explore experienced gastroenterologists who regularly perform biliary sems and provide pre- and post-operative care in India.
- 25 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
Miot Hospital Chennai, Chennai
- 34 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
Miot Hospital Chennai, Chennai
- 20 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bangalore
- 39 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bangalore
- 16 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
Manipal Hospital Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneshwar
- 11 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
Manipal Hospital Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneshwar
- 11 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
Kamineni Hospital LB Nagar, Hyderabad
- 8 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
Kamineni Hospital LB Nagar, Hyderabad
- 14 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
Manipal Hospital Gurgaon, Gurgaon
- 18 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
- 49 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bangalore
- 35 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
- 32 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
- 30 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
Metro Hospital, Sector 11, Noida
- 30 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
Metro Hospital, Sector 11, Noida
- 21 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
- 21 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bangalore
- 15 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bangalore
- 10 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
Metro Hospital, Sector 11, Noida
- 9 Years Experience
- Gastroenterologist
Miot Hospital Chennai, Chennai