Learning About Your Health

Caring for Yourself at Home Following PTHC with a Biliary Drainage Procedure

A drainage tube has been placed into your bile ducts to drain the bile from your liver into your intestines or to an external drainage bag. If your tube is draining into a bag, follow these instructions carefully:

Protect the tube from being pulled out or dislodged

  • Place a secure dressing over the insertion site. Dressing changes are recommended at least 2-3 times a week or as needed. Be careful not to pull the tube out at all during dressing changes.

  • Avoid tension on the tube. Secure the drainage bag to your leg or pin the bag to your clothing in such a way that no tension is placed on the tubing.

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Position the tube and bag for comfort and optimal drainage

  • Place the drainage bag below the insertion site, that is, lower than your abdomen for gravity drainage.

  • Move carefully if you have the bag in place. Try to avoid catching the tube as you move around.

  • Keep the tube free from kinks. Inspect the tube for kinking, especially if you notice that your dressing is wet and leaking bile, or if you have any abdominal pain.

  • Report any persistent abdominal pain to your doctor.

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Empty the bag when it is half full

Prevent leaking and or dislodgement by emptying the bag before it gets too full.

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Additional instructions to follow

  • If your tube is capped (no drainage bag), coil the tube under the dressing and tape it securely.

  • Bile drainage tubes do clog up eventually. It is recommended that a simple exchange for a new tube be done in the Interventional Radiology Department every 3 months or earlier if needed.

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Call Your Doctor If You Have the Following Symptoms

  • Fever or chills.

  • Skin redness, swelling or tenderness at the insertion site.

  • Increased or persistent abdominal pain.

  • Excess or increased drainage from the insertion site.

  • Bloody drainage.

  • No drainage from the tube in 24 hours.

  • Increased yellow coloring of skin (jaundice).


Produced by the Center for Patient and Community Education in association with the staff and physicians at California Pacific Medical Center. Date: 1/03

© 2003-2010 California Pacific Medical Center

Funded by: A generous donation from the Mr. and Mrs. Arthur A. Ciocca Foundation.

Note: This information is not meant to replace any information or personal medical advice which you get directly from your doctor(s). If you have any questions about this information, such as the risks or benefits of the treatment listed, please ask your doctor(s).

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