Biliary Atresia (Clinical Update)

Abstract

Biliary atresia is a common cause of neonatal jaundice. This article reviews the recent literature on biliary atresia. Recently near-infrared fluorescence cholangiography (NIR-FCG) using indocyanine green fluorescence (ICG) has been employed during Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE) to identify bile flow from hilar ductules. Intrahepatic cystic lesion (ICL) is a newly recognized complication of KPE. Patients with ICL developing after six months of KPE tend to have better outcomes. Usually, ICL are preceded by episodes of cholangitis. Higher GGT levels before KPE is now identified as a risk factor of post-operative cholangitis.