Biliary drainage and stenting are techniques used to help bile drain from your bile duct. If your bile duct is blocked, bile can back up into the liver instead of draining into your small intestine. A drain brings bile around the blockage.

Depending on your situation, the bile may drain into your intestine, into a bag outside your body, or through a tube in your nose.

Once you have a biliary drain inserted, your doctor may put in a stent to open the blockage.