BACKGROUND Cholangitis, infection of the bile ducts, is a serious condition that necessitates prompt and efficacious treatment for a good clinical outcome. A single center retrospective study of cholangitis was conducted to better define the spectrum of responsible pathogens and their antibiotic sensitivities. METHODS We studied all patients at our hospital who had cholangitis from January 19...

Portal hypertensive biliopathy (PHB) is defined as biliary abnormalities associated with portal hypertension, particularly caused by extra hepatic portal venous obstruction. Clinical spectrum ranges from no symptoms to biliary obstruction and life threatening cholangitis. PHB is an unusual cause of hemobilia. We present three cases of PHB presented to us with varied clinical features and manage...

An isolated marked transient rise in serum alkaline phosphatase levels in otherwise healthy children is a well-documented occurrence. However, in children undergoing liver transplantation, elevated alkaline phosphatase values raise the possibility of biliary obstruction, rejection, or both. During a 6-year period, 6 of 278 children undergoing liver transplantation exhibited a similar phenomenon...

Serum vitamin E levels and red cell haemolysis were measured in 17 children with biliary obstruction after oral and intramuscular loading tests, and during long-term oral administration of differing doses of a fat-soluble and water-miscible preparation of alpha-tocopheryl acetate. The results suggested a severe defect in the intestinal absorption of both preparations. In three of the children w...

Many advances have been achieved in biliary stenting over the past 30 years. Endoscopic stent placement has become the primary management therapy to relieve obstruction in patients with benign or malignant biliary tract diseases. Compared with plastic stents, a self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) has been used for management in patients with malignant strictures because of a larger lumen and ...