Palliative Surgeries

Other surgical procedures that do not involve removing the tumor may be performed to alleviate symptoms.  Palliative surgeries may relieve symptoms of jaundice, pain, nausea and vomiting that are caused by blockage of the bile duct or stomach.

Biliary and Gastric Bypass

If a portion of the tumor is blocking the common bile duct, a biliary bypass can be performed to re-route the flow of bile around the tumor and relieve jaundice.  If the tumor is blocking the duodenum, the surgeon can perform a gastric bypass that allows food to flow from the stomach past the blockage.   If blockages in both areas are of concern, the surgeon can do a combination procedure known as a palliative double bypass.

Stents

A doctor may be able to relive blockages with a stent, rather than performing the bypass procedure.  A stent is a small plastic or metal tube that helps keep the bile duct or duodenum open.