Bile Duct Diseases

Your liver makes a substance called bile that helps with digestion. Your gallbladder stores it until you need it to digest fat. Then your gallbladder pushes the bile into tubes called bile ducts. They carry the bile to your small intestine.

Different diseases can block the bile ducts and cause a problem with the flow of bile. Gallstones are one of the most common causes of blocked bile ducts. Blocked bile ducts may also result from infection, cancer or internal scar tissue. Scarring can block the bile ducts, which can lead to liver failure.

A rare form of bile duct disease called biliary atresia occurs in infants. It is the most common reason for liver transplants in children in the United States. (NIH)

Also called: Biliary Cirrhosis, Biliary Tract Diseases, Cholestasis

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Bile Duct Carcinoma

A malignant tumor arising from the epithelium of the intrahepatic or extrahepatic bile duct. Carcinomas that arise from the intrahepatic bile…

Bile Duct Cancer

Cancer that forms in a bile duct. A bile duct is a tube that carries bile (fluid made by the liver that…

Bile Duct Biliary Intraepithelial Neoplasia

A neoplastic, non-invasive lesion that affects the intrahepatic or extrahepatic bile duct epithelium. It is characterized by the presence of atypical…

Bile Duct Adenoma

A benign, well-demarcated polypoid neoplasm arising from the bile duct epithelium. According to the growth pattern, it is classified as tubular, papillary,…

Bile Duct Adenocarcinoma

An adenocarcinoma that arises from the intrahepatic bile ducts, the hepatic ducts, or the extrahepatic bile ducts. Adenocarcinomas that arise from…

Bile duct

A tube through which bile passes in and out of the liver.