Biliary stent problems: blockage and infection

Cancer Research UK's stent page says "stents can become blocked after a few months" and that "your doctor can unblock or replace the stent in the same way as before" (ERCP through the mouth, or PTC through the skin). It warns: "contact your doctor straight away if you have signs of infection such as a high temperature or shivering", and that "you may need to go into hospital to have antibiotics through a drip into your bloodstream". A plastic stent is used when surgery is planned; for advanced disease a metal stent is usual because it stays open longer, and randomised trials pooled by Almadi (2017) confirm metal stents need fewer repeat procedures.

Practical points from these pages: know the date the stent went in, keep the hospital's 24-hour number to hand, and treat yellowing eyes, dark urine, pale stools, fever or shaking as reasons to call that day rather than wait for the next clinic. This is orientation from public patient pages, not advice for your case: your own team's instructions and 24-hour number come first.