A stent is a tube made of either plastic or an expanding metal mesh.
During an ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography) or PTC (percutaneous transhepatic choloangiogram) the stent is pushed through the inside of the blocked duct to hold it open. The ERCP method is most often used.
Click on the links to the right to see more information on these procedures and what to expect.