Biliary obstruction is a blockage of the ducts that transport bile from the liver to the small intestine. Bile is made in the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and emptied into the small intestine via the bile ducts.
Bile is secreted to help digest fats. After a meal, fatty acids in the stomach cause the gallbladder to contract and release stored bile, but a blockage in the biliary ductal system will impede bile transport and will cause pain. Bile is continuously made in the liver. When bile cannot drain and builds up in the liver, bilirubin, a component of bile, increases in the urine and blood.
The most common cause of biliary obstruction is gallstones, which are crystallized cholesterol concretions usually formed in the gallbladder. Risk factors for gallstones (cholelithiasis) are
Other non-gallstone causes of biliary blockage include:
In addition to a history and physical examination, the following tests are often performed:
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