{"entity":{"id":"biliary-stent","kind":"term","name":"Stenting (biliary, oesophageal, airway)","aka":["stent","stents","stenting","biliary stenting","self-expanding metal stent","SEMS","oesophageal stent","biliary drainage","percutaneous drainage"],"tldr":"Placing a small mesh or plastic tube to hold open a duct or passage that a tumour is squeezing shut, relieving jaundice, swallowing difficulty or breathlessness.","summary":"Biliary stents placed by ERCP (or percutaneously) relieve obstructive jaundice from pancreatic and bile duct cancers so that chemotherapy can be given; metal stents stay open longer than plastic. Self-expanding oesophageal stents restore swallowing in advanced oesophageal cancer within a day, airway stents relieve central obstruction, and ureteric stents or nephrostomy protect kidneys. Stents palliate rather than treat the tumour, and can migrate or block, so they are one option alongside brachytherapy and radiotherapy.","asOf":"2026-09-09","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stent","links":[{"label":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stent"}],"tags":[],"related":["obstructive-jaundice","dysphagia","endoscopy"],"cancers":["pancreatic","cholangiocarcinoma","esophageal"],"sections":["supportive-care"],"technologies":[],"targets":[],"drugs":[],"companies":[],"institutions":[],"pathways":[],"terms":[],"trials":[],"people":[],"bottlenecks":[],"keyPapers":[],"journals":[],"dependsOn":[],"notes":[],"category":"Procedures"},"route":"/terms/biliary-stent/","neighbours":{"term":[{"id":"biliary-drainage-routes","kind":"term","name":"Biliary drainage routes: ERCP stent, percutaneous (PTC) and EUS-guided","route":"/terms/biliary-drainage-routes/"},{"id":"biliary-stent-problems","kind":"term","name":"Biliary stent problems: blockage and infection","route":"/terms/biliary-stent-problems/"},{"id":"duodenal-stenting-gastric-outlet","kind":"term","name":"Duodenal stenting and gastrojejunostomy for malignant gastric outlet obstruction","route":"/terms/duodenal-stenting-gastric-outlet/"},{"id":"dysphagia","kind":"term","name":"Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)","route":"/terms/dysphagia/"},{"id":"endoscopy","kind":"term","name":"Endoscopy (EGD, EUS, ERCP)","route":"/terms/endoscopy/"},{"id":"jaundice-and-itch-biliary","kind":"term","name":"Living with jaundice and itching (biliary cancer)","route":"/terms/jaundice-and-itch-biliary/"},{"id":"obstructive-jaundice","kind":"term","name":"Obstructive jaundice and biliary obstruction","route":"/terms/obstructive-jaundice/"},{"id":"pancreatic-palliation-obstruction-pain-nutrition","kind":"term","name":"Palliation in pancreatic cancer: biliary and duodenal stents, coeliac plexus block, enzymes and cachexia","route":"/terms/pancreatic-palliation-obstruction-pain-nutrition/"},{"id":"stent-or-bypass-for-jaundice","kind":"term","name":"Stent or bypass for jaundice: the choice","route":"/terms/stent-or-bypass-for-jaundice/"}],"cancer":[{"id":"cholangiocarcinoma","kind":"cancer","name":"Biliary tract cancer (cholangiocarcinoma)","route":"/cancers/cholangiocarcinoma/"},{"id":"gallbladder","kind":"cancer","name":"Gallbladder cancer","route":"/cancers/gallbladder/"},{"id":"locally-advanced-pdac","kind":"cancer","name":"Locally advanced unresectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma","route":"/cancers/locally-advanced-pdac/"},{"id":"esophageal","kind":"cancer","name":"Oesophageal cancer","route":"/cancers/esophageal/"},{"id":"pancreatic","kind":"cancer","name":"Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma","route":"/cancers/pancreatic/"}],"section":[{"id":"supportive-care","kind":"section","name":"Supportive Care & Survivorship","route":"/fronts/supportive-care/"}],"roadmap":[{"id":"pancreatic-roadmap","kind":"roadmap","name":"Pancreatic cancer roadmap: from Whipple's operation to gemcitabine, FOLFIRINOX, adjuvant chemotherapy, PARP inhibition, KRAS inhibition, vaccines and the surveillance question","route":"/roadmaps/pancreatic-roadmap/"}],"idea":[{"id":"idea-pdac-uk-fast-track-diagnosis-to-treatment-pathway","kind":"idea","name":"A fast-track pathway from suspicion to treatment for pancreatic cancer in the NHS, measured from first scan to first treatment","route":"/ideas/idea-pdac-uk-fast-track-diagnosis-to-treatment-pathway/"}],"trial":[{"id":"tesla-rct","kind":"trial","name":"TESLA RCT","route":"/trials/tesla-rct/"}]}}