Nasobiliary Drainage

Placement of nasobiliary tubes has now become a widely acceptedmethod for therapeutic drainage and instillation of solvents into the biliary tree.The author routinely uses a 300 cm long, 7 or 10 French, specially performedTeflon catheter, which adapts to the anatomy of the duodenum and bile ducts,for the following indications: decompression of obstructed bile duct in acutesuppurative cholangitis; prevention of stone impaction after endoscopicsphincterotomy; sequential cholangiography; biliary fistula; instillation of solventsfor common bile duct scones; local radiotherapy of biliary malignancies;aspiration of bile for chemical and bacteriological studies; and drainage ofpancreatic pseudocysts. Pancreatic or biliary drains should supplement traditionaldiagnostic and therapeutic modalities in patients with surgical or medicallesions of the pancreas and biliary tree