External bile drains

my Husband had 2 external bile bags and he pinned the drains with plastic forceps to his clothing above his liver

Hi there, I thought I would reply to you as I thought I would have to live with an external bile drain, but this was only temporary thank goodness.

I found the drain to be extremely painful, smelly and messy at times, because the bile used to drain away, but very hit and miss and I had a district nurse to empty the contents daily, and sometimes when she came there was nothing in the drain and it used to fill up at different times of the day and it was a good job I knew how to empty it, as I used to do this when it was full and I found it to be very smelly and messy and didn't like having it on at all, I was so glad when they fitted a permanent stent and I had the external drains taken out.

I have had cholangiocarcinoma and I have recently had cholangitis due to a narrowing in my bile duct where the operation was done.

I am much better now but I do get a lot of abdominal pain where the stent is.

But I was told if the stent hadn't worked I would have to live and get used to having an external drain in, and it's not easy to come to terms with.

I hope this helps you in some way.

Regards 

Many thanks. Kind of you to reply. I hope your stent does its job. I’ve got a couple inserted but also need the external drains for the moment as my bilirubin was remaining obstinately high. But things finally seem to be moving in the right direction so keeping fingers crossed the drains are temporary as they are a right pain - and occasionally painful.