Biliary atresia(patient information)
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Synonyms and keywords: Atresia of bile ducts
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Overview
Biliary atresia is a blockage in the tubes (ducts) that carry a liquid called bile from the liver to the gallbladder.
What are the symptoms?
Newborns with this condition may appear normal at birth. However, jaundice (a yellow color to the skin and mucous membranes) develops by the second or third week of life. The infant may gain weight normally for the first month, but then will lose weight and become irritable, and have worsening jaundice.
Other symptoms may include:
- Dark urine
- Enlarged spleen
- Floating stools
- Foul-smelling stools
- Pale or clay-colored stools
- Slow growth
- Slow or no weight gain