Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangiography and Biliary Drain Placement: Post-Procedure Management, Prevention, and Education A Nurse’s Perspective

Introduction: Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTHC) and biliary drain placement is a procedure done to help treat problems such as obstructive jaundice due to bile duct stricture, obstruction from malignancy, or stones. Nurses are able to see underlying changes in a patient's status to assist in the urgency of this interventional radiology procedure. Patients who become hemodynamically unstable are at a greater need for a PTHC to be done emergently. After a PTHC and drain placement is performed, the patient is still at risk of septicemia. Post-procedural complications may arise such as infection, pain, bleeding, and jaundice. Management, prevention, and education by the nurse to the patient are vital to hinder these problems to occur while the drainage tube remains.