Biliary atresia (BA) or extrahepatic biliary atresia (EHBA) is a disorder of infants in which there is an obliteration or discontinuity of the extrahepatic (outside of the liver) biliary system, resulting in obstruction of bile flow.
The incidence of EHBA is 1 in 10,000 to 13,000 newborns. The disorder occurs more often in girls than boys, and 20-30% of cases area ssociated with developmental abnormalities of the heart, digestive tract, or spleen (polysplenia [more than one spleen] or asplenia [no spleen]) or other abnormalities. Between 400-600 new cases of BA are encountered in the United States every year.
Because early intervention is so important, any infant older than 14 days with jaundice needs to be evaluated. Surgery is usually required to repair damage or malformations to promote normal flow of bile. Liver transplant may be required in severe cases.
The Medifocus Guide on Biliary Atresia provides answers to the following important questions and medical issues:
What are the most common symptoms of biliary atresia?
Are there any recognized risk factors for developing biliary atresia?
What kinds of medical tests are used to establish the diagnosis of biliary atresia?
What is the current standard of care for the treatment of biliary atresia?
What treatment options are available for the management of biliary atresia?
Are there any promising new developments or potential breakthroughs in treatment?
Who are the most notable medical authorities who specialize in biliary atresia?
Where are the leading hospitals and centers of research for biliary atresia?
What are the most important questions to ask my doctor about biliary atresia?
What Your Doctor Reads:
This MediFocus Guide contains an extensive listing of citations and abstracts of recent journal articles that have been published about this condition in trustworthy medical journals. This is the same type of information that is available to physicians and other health care professionals. A partial selection of journal articles that are abstracted in this MediFocus Guide includes:
Combined pure esophageal atresia, duodenal atresia, biliary atresia, and pancreatic ductal atresia: prenatal diagnostic features and review of the literature. Journal of Pediatric Surgery. 2000
Biliary atresia: pathogenesis and treatment. Seminars in Liver Disease. 1998
Biliary atresia. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 1998
Biliary atresia and biliary cysts. Baillieres Clinical Gastroenterology. 1997
Biliary atresia. Current Opinion in Pediatrics. 1997
Past and future of biliary atresia. Journal of Pediatric Surgery. 2000
Biliary atresia: should all patients undergo a portoenterostomy?. Journal of Pediatric Surgery. 1997
Initial response to portoenterostomy determines long-term outcome in patients with biliary atresia. Journal of Pediatric Surgery. 2000
Biliary atresia: which factors predict the success of a Kasai operation? An analysis of 36 patients. European Journal of Medical Research. 2000
Reappraisal of the role of the bilioenteric conduit in the pathogenesis of postoperative cholangitis. Pediatric Surgery International. 2000
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