The common bile duct has been drained for six months; can the tube be removed now?

If a bile duct tube is placed due to gallstones and the bile duct has healed well, it can generally be removed after about six months. However, if the tube was placed due to cancer or if there are complications such as biliary tract infection or an immature sinus tract, the tube should not be removed even after six months. The decision to remove the tube must be based on a physician's evaluation. Specific details are as follows:

For elderly patients with gallstone disease or those requiring reoperation due to bile duct injury, if the common bile duct has been drained for six months and there are no other special circumstances—such as biliary infection, residual stones, fever, jaundice, or abdominal pain—removal of the tube can usually be considered. Prior to removal, the doctor will perform tests such as a T-tube cholangiogram to evaluate the recovery of the bile duct.

In patients with advanced pancreatic head cancer or bile duct cancer, tube removal is generally not recommended. These patients may still have significant fluid exudation that needs to be drained through the tube; removing it could prevent timely drainage, leading to local infection and conditions such as peritonitis, redness, and swelling.

In addition, if the patient has a biliary tract infection (e.g., cholangitis, cholecystitis) or if the sinus tract around the T-tube is immature or incompletely formed, the tube should not be removed.

Patients should maintain good daily habits and follow a healthy, scientifically balanced diet, actively optimizing their physical condition to enhance treatment effectiveness.