biliary atresia
Biliary Atresia: Causes, Pathogenesis, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment Introduction: What is Biliary Atresia? Biliary atresia is a rare, progressive liver disorder in infants where the bile ducts become inflamed, blocked, or completely absent. Since bile cannot drain from the liver into the intestine, it accumulates in the liver, leading to liver inflammation, scarring ( cirrhosis ) , and eventual liver failure if untreated. Pathogenesis of Biliary Atresia The pathogenesis of biliary atresia is multifactorial and not fully understood, but several mechanisms have been proposed: Prenatal Factors : In some cases, bile duct malformation begins in utero , possibly due to genetic or developmental anomalies. Perinatal Inflammatory Insult : The most accepted theory involves perinatal immune-mediated bile duct injury, possibly triggered by viral infections (e.g., rotavirus , reovirus type 3 , cytomegalovirus ) . These infections may lead to Cholangiocyte injury (bile duct ...