What Causes Biliary Atresia?

Bile Duct Inflammation And Blockage

Bile duct inflammation and blockage is the primary cause of biliary atresia. In patients with both forms of biliary atresia, the bile duct becomes narrowed and blocked, and bile cannot flow properly from the liver to the intestine. When this happens, the bile accumulates in the liver instead, and this causes scarring and other damage. Eventually, the bile duct blockage can cause cirrhosis of the liver. Patients with a bile duct blockage often have trouble getting adequate nutrition, and they may need to be fed through a nasogastric tube. Doctors can detect a bile duct blockage through imaging studies such as HIDA and DISIDA scans. Using an injection of radioactive dye, these tests produce images that show if bile can flow from the liver into the gallbladder and intestines. A cholangiogram can also be used for this purpose. Cholangiograms are x-rays carried out by surgeons in the operating room. These studies help show if the bile ducts that carry bile away from the liver are blocked. If surgeons determine a blockage is present, they will proceed with exploratory surgery to confirm biliary atresia. The Kasai procedure can be used to restore bile flow to blocked ducts, and a liver transplant may be necessary if this is unsuccessful.

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Gender And Ethnicity

Currently, researchers believe gender and ethnicity could be risk factors for biliary atresia. The condition is more common in female infants than in males, and African-American and East Asian communities have higher rates of biliary atresia than other communities. In East Asia, the condition occurs in approximately one out of every five thousand births, and it is diagnosed in an estimated one out of every 16,700 births in Great Britain and one out of every ten to fifteen thousand births in the United States. In twins, usually only one twin will have biliary atresia, and the other will not have the condition. All parents should be familiar with the potential symptoms of biliary atresia, including jaundice, pale stools, dark urine, and a swollen abdomen, and they should seek help for these symptoms immediately.

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