FAQ : Liver diseases

Duct atresia is a rare disease of unknown origin. It is characterized by obstruction of the bile ducts, and appears during the first weeks of life.

Your child is partially or totally lacking in bile ducts. The bile that normally flows through these ducts from the liver to the intestine stagnates in the liver. This causes liver dysfunction, which then causes your child's jaundice. It is the most common cause of neonatal cholestasis (biliary retention). It is a rare disease and affects 1 live birth in 18,000 in Europe. Girls are affected a little more often than boys.

Bile duct atresia is characterized by discoloration of the stool associated with an increase in the size of the liver.

A stool color chart can be used to help with its diagnosis.

This intervention consists of reconstituting the bile duct outside of the liver by putting an intestinal loop at the entrance of the liver (where the bile flows).The goal is to allow bile to flow into the intestine and to relieve the liver. It is indicated in case of bile duct atresia.

This should be done early in the child's life to maximize the chances of success.It can restore the biliary flow from the liver to the intestine, preventing the liver from getting worse, which will then avoid liver transplant. 

It is an infection of the bile ducts due to intestinal germs. Following an intervention using the Kasaï procedure, bacteria in the intestinal loop can cause cholangitis.

In this situation, your child will receive intravenous antibiotic treatment and will be closely monitored. This means that the child’s hospital stay will be prolonged.

Following an infection, liver cell dysfunction or a bile duct problem, your child may have jaundice from birth or later.

It is due to an accumulation of bilirubin in the blood, a substance found in bile.