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UCLA Interventional Radiology

UCLA Interventional Radiology

UCLA Interventional Radiology
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  • About Us
  • Conditions Treated
    • Ascites
    • Aneurysm and Dissection
    • Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
    • Biliary Leak
    • Biliary Obstruction
    • Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
    • Encephalopathy
    • Gastrointestinal Bleeding
    • Gastrointestinal Ischemia
    • Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia
    • Liver Cancer
    • Liver Cancer (Metastatic)
    • Malnutrition
    • Obstruction
    • Osteoarthritis of the Knee
    • Peripheral Arterial Disease
    • Pelvic Congestion Syndrome
    • Portal Hypertension
    • Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations (AVM)
    • Pulmonary Embolism (PE)
    • Uterine Fibroids
    • Variceal Bleeding
    • Varicocele
    • Varicose/Spider Veins
    • Venous and Lymphatic Malformations
    • Vertebral Fracture
    • Ascites
    • Aneurysm and Dissection
    • Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
    • Biliary Leak
    • Biliary Obstruction
    • Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
    • Encephalopathy
    • Gastrointestinal Bleeding
    • Gastrointestinal Ischemia
    • Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia
    • Liver Cancer
    • Liver Cancer (Metastatic)
    • Malnutrition
    • Obstruction
    • Osteoarthritis of the Knee
    • Peripheral Arterial Disease
    • Pelvic Congestion Syndrome
    • Portal Hypertension
    • Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations (AVM)
    • Pulmonary Embolism (PE)
    • Uterine Fibroids
    • Variceal Bleeding
    • Varicocele
    • Venous and Lymphatic Malformations
    • Vertebral Fracture
  • Treatments & Procedures
    • Angiography
    • Angioplasty and Vascular Stenting
    • Arterial Thrombolysis
    • Balloon-Occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration
    • Biliary Drainage
    • Biopsy, Percutaneous
    • Chemoembolization
    • Cyst Aspiration/Sclerosis
    • Dialysis Fistula/Graft Interventions
    • Drainage, Percutaneous
    • Embolization
    • Gastrostomy and Gastrojejunostomy Tube Placement
    • Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE)
    • Inferior Vena Cava Filter Placement and Removal
    • Lung Biopsy
    • Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE)
    • Pulmonary Angiography and Embolization
    • Radioembolization (Y90)
    • Stent Graft Placement
    • Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS)
    • Transjugular Liver Biopsy
    • Tumor Ablation
    • Uterine Fibroid Embolization
    • Varicocele Embolization
    • Varicose Vein Treatment
    • Vascular Access Procedures
    • Venous Thrombolysis and Recanalization
    • Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty
    • Angiography
    • Angioplasty and Vascular Stenting
    • Arterial Thrombolysis
    • Balloon-Occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration
    • Biliary Drainage
    • Biopsy Percutaneous
    • Chemoembolization
    • Cyst Aspiration/Sclerosis
    • Dialysis Fistula/Graft Interventions
    • Drainage Percutaneous
    • Embolization
    • Gastrostomy and Gastrojejunostomy Tube Placement
    • Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE)
    • Inferior Vena Cava Filter Placement and Removal
    • Lung Biopsy
    • Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE)
    • Pulmonary Angiography and Embolization
    • Radioembolization (Y90)
    • Stent Graft Placement
    • Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS)
    • Transjugular Liver Biopsy
    • Tumor Ablation
    • Uterine Fibroid Embolization
    • Varicocele Embolization
    • Vascular Access Procedures
    • Venous thrombolysis and recanalization
    • Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty
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UCLA Interventional Radiology

Conditions Treated

Conditions Treated

Conditions Treated

  • Ascites
  • Aneurysm and Dissection
  • Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
  • Biliary Leak
  • Biliary Obstruction
  • Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
  • Encephalopathy
  • Gastrointestinal Bleeding
  • Gastrointestinal Ischemia
  • Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia
  • Liver Cancer
  • Liver Cancer (Metastatic)
  • Malnutrition
  • Obstruction
  • Osteoarthritis of the Knee
  • Peripheral Arterial Disease
  • Pelvic Congestion Syndrome
  • Portal Hypertension
  • Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations (AVM)
  • Pulmonary Embolism (PE)
  • Uterine Fibroids
  • Variceal Bleeding
  • Varicocele
  • Venous and Lymphatic Malformations
  • Vertebral Fracture
  • Ascites
  • Aneurysm and Dissection
  • Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
  • Biliary Leak
  • Biliary Obstruction
  • Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
  • Encephalopathy
  • Gastrointestinal Bleeding
  • Gastrointestinal Ischemia
  • Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia
  • Liver Cancer
  • Liver Cancer (Metastatic)
  • Malnutrition
  • Obstruction
  • Osteoarthritis of the Knee
  • Peripheral Arterial Disease
  • Pelvic Congestion Syndrome
  • Portal Hypertension
  • Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations (AVM)
  • Pulmonary Embolism (PE)
  • Uterine Fibroids
  • Variceal Bleeding
  • Varicocele
  • Venous and Lymphatic Malformations
  • Vertebral Fracture
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  2. UCLA Interventional Radiology
  3. Conditions Treated
  4. Biliary Obstruction

Biliary Obstruction

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What is biliary obstruction?

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.

biliary-obstruction.png

Risk Factors

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

  • Females more than males
  • Increasing age
  • Family history
  • Native American or Mexican American descent
  • High cholesterol
  • Obesity
  • Rapid weight loss
  • Pregnancy
  • Increased estrogen
  • Diabetes
  • Total parenteral nutrition
  • Cirrhosis (liver scarring)
  • Severe hemolytic anemia

Other non-gallstone causes of biliary blockage include:

  • Bile duct cancer
  • Liver cancer
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Metastatic cancer
  • Pancreatitis
  • Injury in the abdomen, including from surgery

Symptoms

  • Abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant, especially after a meal or when pressure is applied to the area
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Fever
  • Dark urine
  • Jaundice (yellowing skin)
  • Pale stools
  • Pruritis (itchy skin)

Diagnosis

In addition to a history and physical examination, the following tests are often performed:

  • Abdominal ultrasound
  • Abdominal CT scan
  • Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), which uses a camera and x-ray dye to look at the bile ducts
  • Blood and urine bilirubin levels
  • Liver enzyme tests

Treatments

  • Cholangiogram
  • Biliary drainage
  • Biliary stenting

For More Information:

For more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our IR physicians, please call 310-481-7545.

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