Cholecystostomy Tube: Care Instructions

A cholecystostomy tube is a thin, plastic tube (catheter) that's placed though the skin and into the gallbladder. It's also called a percutaneous cholecystostomy tube. It lets bile flow from a blocked gallbladder into a collection bag outside the body.

Bile is a fluid that the liver makes. It helps digest fats. When the gallbladder can't release bile, it can cause yellowing of the skin (jaundice) or an infection of the liver.

The tube is used to help treat sudden inflammation of the gallbladder (acute cholecystitis). It may also be used when removing the gallbladder (cholecystectomy) isn't an option.

Bile that collects in the bag may look bloody at first. It will soon change to its normal yellow-green color. About 2 to 4 cups of bile will collect in the bag each day. The amount should be about the same from day to day.

The tube will need to be changed every 6 to 8 weeks. How long the tube stays in depends on what caused the problem with your gallbladder.

Here are some things you can do to take care of yourself at home when you have a cholecystostomy tube. When caring for the tube or bag, always wash your hands with soap and water before and after. Scrub for at least 20 seconds.

Learn to change the bandage. You may have a bandage on the skin where the tube comes out (drain site). Your doctor will tell you how often to change it. To change the bandage:

• Remove the bandage from around the tube and put it in the trash.
• Clean the skin around the tube with soap and water.
• Check the skin for signs of irritation, such as redness, bleeding, or swelling.
• Pat the skin dry. Put on a new bandage. First, cut a slit in the bandage. Then fit the bandage around the tube site.

Keep the tube clear. Your doctor or nurse will tell you when to do this and show you how. Here are the basic steps:

• Flush the tube with sterile saline as directed by your doctor or nurse.
• Check the tube for kinks, twists, or blockages.

Empty the collection bag as needed. Empty the bile from your bag when it's about 2/3 full or at least once a day. Here's how you do it:

• Record the amount of fluid collected, if doctor asked you to.
• Open the drainage port at the bottom of the bag.
• Empty the bag's contents into the toilet.
• Clean the drainage port with soap and water. Then close it.

Contact your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:

• You have new or worse belly pain.
• You have a fever of 100.4 °F (38°C) or higher or as advised by your doctor.
• You are vomiting.
• There is a new or increasing yellow tint to your skin or the whites of your eyes.
• You see a sudden change in the color or smell of the fluid in the collection bag.
• Fluid stops coming out of the tube.
• The tube becomes clogged or loose at the drain site, or it falls out.
• You can’t pass stools or gas.
• You have symptoms of infection, such as:
  • Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness.
  • Red streaks leading from the drain site.
  • Pus draining from drain site.

Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if you have any problems.