Biliary Atresia Flashcards
What are the benign tumours of the gallbladder
Adenomas
Inflammatory polyps
Adenomyosis
Benign epithelial tumours, representing localised neoplastic growth of the lining epithelium
Adenomas
Classifications of adenomas
- Tubular
- Papillary
- Tubulo-Papillary
Macroscopic picture of inflammatory polyps
Sessile mucosal projections
Histology of inflammatory polyps
Infiltration of the stroma by chronic inflammatory cells & lipid-laden macrophages
Morphology of adenomyosis
- Hyperplasia of the gallbladder’s muscle layer
- Presence of intramural hyperplastic glands
Presence of stones within the bile ducts of the biliary tree
Choledocholithiasis
Stones in Choledocholithiasis are usually
pigmented and associated with biliary tract infections
Choledocholithiasis may be asymptomatic, or present with the following symptoms:
- Obstruction
- Pancreatitis
- Cholangitis
- Hepatic abscess
- Secondary biliary cirrhosis
- Acute calculus cholecystitis
Bacterial infection of the bile ducts
Cholangitis
Causes of Cholangitis
Any lesion that creates obstruction to bile flow:
- Most common: Choledocholithiasis and biliary strictures
- Less common: Indwelling stents or catheters, tumours, acute pancreatitis
Pathogenesis of cholangitis
- Entry of bacteria into the biliary tract through the sphincter of Oddi
- Ascending cholangitis: Infection of intrahepatic biliary radicles
- Usually enteric gram-negative aerobes, such as E. coli, Klebsiella, Enterococcus or Enterobacter
Clinical features of cholangitis
Fever, chills, abdominal pain, & jaundice
Microscopic findings of cholangitis
- Acute inflammation of the wall of the bile ducts, with entry of neutrophils into the
luminal space - Suppurative Cholangitis: Most severe form of cholangitis, in which purulent bile fills
and distends bile ducts
Progression & Complications of cholangitis
Suppurative Cholangitis → Sepsis
Congenital dilations of the common bile duct
Choledochal cysts
Epidemiology of choledochal cysts
Presentation in childhood (age<10yrs); Non-specific symptoms of jaundice and/or
recurrent abdominal pain
About 20% of cases: Symptomatic, only in adulthood
Different morphological forms of choledochal cysts
- Segmental or cylindric dilation of the common bile duct
- Diverticuli of the extra-hepatic ducts
- Choledochoceles (cystic lesions that protrude into the duodenal lumen)
Complications of choledochal cysts
Predisposition to stone formation, stenosis and stricture, pancreatitis, & obstructive biliary complications (intra-hepatic)
Elevated risk for the development of bile duct carcinoma (older patients)
Complete or partial obstruction of the lumen of the extrahepatic biliary tree (within the first 3 months of life), characterised by progressive inflammation and fibrosis of intra- or extrahepatic bile ducts
Biliary atresia
Epidemiology of biliary atresia
- One third of infants with neonatal cholestasis
- Most frequent cause of death from liver disease in early childhood
- 50% to 60% of children referred for liver transplantation
Pathogenesis of biliary atresia
- Fetal form:
- Cause: Anomalous intrauterine development of the extrahepatic biliary tree
- Commonly, association with: i. Malrotation of abdominal viscera, ii. Interrupted
inferior vena cava, iii. Polysplenia, iv. Congenital heart disease - Perinatal form:
- Destruction of a normally appearing bill. tree, after birth
- Aetiology: Unknown; But, association with viral infection (Reovirus, Rotavirus,CMV) & autoimmunity
Morphology of biliary atresia
- Inflammation and fibrosing stricture of the hepatic or common bile ducts
- Peri-ductular inflammation of intra-hepatic bile ducts, with destruction (1/3 of cases)
- Progressive destruction of the intra-hepatic biliary tree
- Extrahepatic biliary obstruction, manifested as bile ductular proliferation, portal tract oedema & fibrosis, & parenchymal cholestasis (2/3 of cases)
- Inflammatory destruction of intra-hepatic ducts
Clinical features of biliary atresia
Infants with biliary atresia → Neonatal cholestasis:
- Normal birth weight
- Postnatal weight gain
- Normal stools (initially) → Acholic stools (with disease progression)
lab findings of biliary atresia
- Serum bilirubin values: 6-12 mg/dL
- Moderately elevated aminotransferase & alkaline phosphatase levels
Tx of biliary atresia
Liver transplantation with accompanying donor bile ducts
Stones in the Gallbladder
Cholelithiasis