Biliary atresia: symptoms, causes, treatment, etc. & bull; hello healthy

Definition

What is biliary atresia?

Biliary atresia is a rare disease of the liver and bile ducts in newborns. The bile duct in the liver, also known as the hepatic duct, has many functions.

The bile ducts can function to break down fat, absorb fat soluble vitamins, and carry toxins and waste products out of the body.

However, in babies who have birth defects in the form of biliary atresia, the bile ducts that are outside and inside the liver do not develop normally.

Biliary atresia is a disorder that makes the bile ducts become swollen and obstructed when a newborn is born.

As a result, bile builds up in the liver and causes liver damage. This makes it difficult for the liver to get rid of toxins in the body.

It is not even possible that the baby's liver is at risk of damage and cirrhosis of the liver, which can be fatal if not treated.

What are the types of biliary atresia?

Quoting from the University of Rochester Medical Center, this disease is divided into two types, namely perinatal and fetal.

The types of biliary atresia are as follows:

Perinatal biliary atresia (perinatal biliary atresia)

Perinatal biliary atresia is the most common type. As the name implies, this type is generally seen after the newborn.

Usually, symptoms begin to appear around 2 weeks of age to 4 weeks of age.

Fetal biliary atresia (fetal biliary atresia)

In contrast to the previous type, fetal biliary atresia is the less common or infrequent type.

This disorder begins to form when the fetus is still in the womb. That is why when the baby is born, the fetal biliary atresia type is immediately visible.

Some babies, especially those born with this type of disorder, also have defects in the heart, spleen and intestines.

How common is this condition?

Biliary atresia is a rare birth defect or disorder. Actually there is no known exact number of these birth defects or abnormalities.

However, based on Cincinnati Children's page, this condition can occur in about 1 in 15,000-20,000 babies.

Biliary atresia is a disease that generally affects girls more than boys.

This condition can also be experienced by only one pair of twins or one of several siblings.

Biliary atresia is also a disease that is more common in Asians and African-Americans than Caucasians, such as Americans and Europeans.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of biliary atresia?

The early symptoms of biliary atresia are the eyes and skin that look yellow or known as jaundice (jaundice).

This yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes is caused by the buildup of bile in the body due to damaged liver and bile ducts.

Generally, babies born with mild jaundice develop this condition from 1 week to 2 weeks of age.

Then the jaundice normally disappears at the age of 2 weeks to 3 weeks of age. Unfortunately, in children with this condition, their jaundice can get worse.

Symptoms of biliary atresia often begin between 2 weeks of age and 8 weeks of age or the first 2 months of a baby's life.

The various symptoms of biliary atresia are as follows:

Yellow skin and eyes (jaundice)
Dark urine color like tea
CHAPTER light colored like gray or slightly white
The stomach is swollen
Baby weight loss
Slow growth

Swelling of the baby's stomach can occur due to the enlarged liver. Meanwhile, the color change in the baby's stool is caused by the absence of bile or the absence of bilirubin in the intestine.

Bilirubin is a fluid that is produced from the process of breaking down hemoglobin or red blood cells.

Likewise, the change in the color of urine which becomes dark due to the buildup of bilirubin fluid in the blood.

Furthermore, bilirubin is filtered by the kidneys and excreted through urine so that it affects the color of the urine itself.

There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about certain symptoms that your baby is experiencing, it's best to consult a doctor.

When to see a doctor?

Biliary atresia is a disease that should not be underestimated and must be treated immediately. You should not delay to take your baby to the doctor if at 2-3 weeks after birth, he still has jaundice and abnormal color of stool during defecation.

If you see a baby having the symptoms above or other questions, consult a doctor immediately.

The health condition of each person's body is different, including babies. Always consult a doctor in order to get the best treatment regarding the health condition of your baby.

Cause

What causes biliary atresia?

Biliary atresia is a congenital disease for which there is no known exact cause.

Even so, experts believe that biliary atresia is not a genetic disease, meaning that it is not passed from parent to child.

In addition, parents who have the condition are not at risk of passing disease-causing genes to their children.

In some children, this condition is caused by incomplete formation of the bile ducts during pregnancy.

Meanwhile, in other children, the cause of biliary atresia is due to damage to the bile ducts by the immune system to fight viral infections during newborns.

Some of the triggers that may contribute to the causes of biliary atresia include the following:

Viral or bacterial infection after birth.
Problems with the immune system or the immune system.
Genetic mutations or changes, which create permanent changes to the genetic structure.
Problems during the development of the liver and bile ducts while the fetus is still in the uterus.
Exposure to toxins or chemicals when the mother is pregnant.

Risk factors

What increases my risk for biliary atresia?

Some of the factors that can increase a child's risk of developing biliary atresia are as follows:

Having a viral or bacterial infection after birth
Have an autoimmune disorder that attacks the liver or bile ducts
Experiencing mutations or genetic changes in the body
The development of the liver and bile duct is problematic

But besides that, the risk of babies experiencing birth defects or abnormalities can also increase if they are female.

Meanwhile, for male babies, the risk of experiencing this condition tends to be lower.

Not only that, babies with Asian and African-American races have a higher risk of developing this condition than Caucasians (American and European).

Premature babies are also more likely to be associated with biliary atresia.

Drugs & Medicines

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How to diagnose this condition?

A doctor can make a diagnosis of biliary atresia by asking about the medical history of the baby's health and the health of other family members.

A physical exam and performing other tests are a number of ways to diagnose biliary atresia.

Some of the most common tests that doctors perform to confirm a diagnosis of biliary atresia include the following:

Blood test. The goal is to determine the possibility of abnormalities in the function of the baby's liver.
X-rays or x-rays. The goal is to see if there is an enlargement of the baby's liver and spleen.
Ultrasound examination (USG). The goal is to determine the possibility of a small gall bladder.

Another examination that can also be done to diagnose this condition is a liver biopsy.

A liver biopsy is done by taking a small sample of the liver using a needle and then doing further observation under a microscope.

Doctors can also perform surgery to confirm the truth that the baby has this condition or it is referred to asdiagnostic surgery confirms.

This operation can help the doctor to see directly whether there is a part of the bile duct that is problematic.

If the results of the examination show that the baby may have this condition, the next step is treatment.

What are the treatment options for biliary atresia?

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, this condition can be treated with Kasai surgery and liver transplantation.

Treatments for biliary atresia are as follows:

Kasai Procedure

The Kasai procedure is usually the initial therapy to treat this condition. During the Kasai procedure, the surgeon will remove the blocked bile duct in the baby and remove the intestine to replace it.

Furthermore, the bile will flow directly into the small intestine. If this operation is successful, the child's health can improve and there are no problems related to the liver.

Meanwhile, if Kasai's surgery fails, children usually need a liver transplant in 1-2 years.

Even after successful therapy, most children are at risk of developing obstructive biliary cirrhosis as adults.

So, children's health needs to be controlled regularly to determine the condition and development of the liver and bile ducts.

Liver Transplant

A liver transplant is a procedure that involves removing a damaged liver and replacing it with a new liver from a donor.

After a liver transplant is performed, the new liver function can start working properly so that the child's health is also getting better.

However, children are advised to regularly take medication to prevent their immune system from attacking or rejecting the new liver.

No need to worry because this rejection is actually a normal way for the immune system to fight infection with viruses and other foreign substances.

Home remedies

What are the lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be done to overcome this condition?

Some of the lifestyle changes and home remedies that can help you treat biliary atresia in children are:

Babies with this condition are usually deficient in nutrients so they need special rules to meet their special nutritional needs.

So, children need more calories in their daily diet. Children with this condition may also have difficulty digesting fat which in turn results in a deficiency in vitamins and protein.

If necessary, you should further consult with a child nutritionist to get the right recommendations regarding the nutritional needs of your little one every day.

After a liver transplant, most children can eat normally.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.