Biliary obstruction
Key points
- Biliary obstruction involves the blockage of any duct that carries bile from the liver to the gallbladder or from the gallbladder to the small intestine.
- Bile is a liquid secreted by the liver that contains cholesterol, bile salts, and waste products such as bilirubin.
- Signs and tests Your health care practitioner will examine your the abdomen and may be able to palpate (feel) the gallbladder.
- The objective of treatment is to relieve the blockage.
Alternative names
Bile duct obstruction
Definition
Biliary obstruction involves the blockage of any duct that carries bile from the liver to the gallbladder or from the gallbladder to the small intestine.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Bile is a liquid secreted by the liver that contains cholesterol, bile salts, and waste products such as bilirubin. Bile salts aid in the digestion of fats. Bile passes out of the liver through the bile ducts and is concentrated and stored in the gallbladder until it is released into the small intestine after a meal to help with fat digestion.
When an obstruction occurs in the bile ducts, bile accumulates in the liver, and jaundice (yellow color of the skin) develops due to the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood.
Causes of obstruction include the following:
- Gallstones
- Tumors of the bile ducts or pancreas
- Other tumors that have spread to the biliary system
- Trauma including injury from gallbladder surgery
- Choledochal cysts
- Enlarged nodes in the porta hepatis
- Inflammation of the bile ducts
Risk factors include the following:
- History of any of these conditions:
o Cholelithiasis (gallstones)
o Chronic pancreatitis
o Pancreatic cancer - Recent biliary surgery
- Recent biliary cancer (such as bile duct cancer)
- Abdominal trauma.
In immunosuppressed patients, obstructions can be caused by infections.
Symptoms
- Pale-colored stools (caused by lack of bilirubin)
- Dark urine (caused by bilirubin excreted in the urine)
- Jaundice (yellow skin color)
- Itching
- Abdominal pain in the upper right quadrant
- Fever
- Nausea and vomiting
Signs and tests
Your health care practitioner will examine your the abdomen and may be able to palpate (feel) the gallbladder.
Blood tests that show obstruction:
Frequently asked questions
What is biliary obstruction?
Biliary obstruction involves the blockage of any duct that carries bile from the liver to the gallbladder or from the gallbladder to the small intestine.
What are the risk factors for biliary obstruction?
Bile is a liquid secreted by the liver that contains cholesterol, bile salts, and waste products such as bilirubin. Bile salts aid in the digestion of fats. Bile passes out of the liver through the bile ducts and is concentrated and stored in the gallbladder until it is released into the small intestine after a meal to help with fat digestion. When an obstruction occurs in the bile ducts, bile accumulates in the liver, and jaundice (yellow color of the skin) develops due to the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood.
What are the symptoms of biliary obstruction?
- Pale-colored stools (caused by lack of bilirubin)
- Dark urine (caused by bilirubin excreted in the urine)
- Jaundice (yellow skin color)
- Itching
- Abdominal pain in the upper right quadrant
- Fever
- Nausea and vomiting Signs and tests Your health care practitioner will examine your the abdomen and may be able to palpate (feel) the gallbladder. Blood tests that show obstruction:
- Bilirubin is elevated.
- Alkaline phosphatase is elevated.
- Liver enzymes are elevated.
Written and revised by
Andrey Nailor, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
health.am provides general information, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional about your own health.