About this topic
Biliary atresia, or BA, is a liver problem that happen before or shortly after a baby is born. With this problem, the bile ducts, which are small tubes that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder, are blocked. This damages the liver. ‚
Normally, your liver makes bile that moves through the bile ducts from the liver to the gall bladder where it is stored. When you eat, bile is released into your bowels to help breakdown the food and to help you absorb fat. ‚
Babies with BA will need to have surgery to fix the flow of bile into the small bowel. ‚
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you understand everything the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do to care for your child.
- Give your child drugs as ordered. Talk with the doctor if your child is having problems with any of the drugs.
- If your child had surgery, talk to the doctor about how to care for your childs cut site. Ask the doctor about:
- When you should change your child 's bandages
- When you may give your child a bath
- When your child may go back to normal activities like daycare
- Be sure to wash your hands before and after touching the wound or dressing.
What follow-up care is needed?
- The doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your childs progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- If your child had surgery and has stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. The doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help break down foods
- Help with nutrition
- Prevent infection
What changes to diet are needed?
Your baby may have problems gaining weight and may need to be on a special diet. Some children need a feeding tube placed through the nose to the stomach. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Infection
- Fluid in the belly
- Need for a liver transplant
- Poor nutrition
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher; change in the sound of your babys cry; crying too much; muscles become stiff, bulging or fullness of the soft spot on your baby's head; if you feel your child is lethargic, irritable, or confused; if your child has a faster or slower heart rate; or decreased amount of urine.
- Skin or eyes are yellow in color
- Urine is dark in color
- Stools are light or gray in color
- Your baby had surgery and there are signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; or cut site opens up.
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you about your child. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my child 's condition.
- I can tell you how I will manage my child 's cut site if my child had surgery.
- I can tell you what I will do if my child has yellow colored skin, dark urine or stools that are foul smelling, or light or gray in color.
Where can I learn more?
American Liver Foundation ‚
http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/biliaryatresia/ ‚
Children 's Liver Disease Foundation ‚
http://www.childliverdisease.org/Information/Medical-stuff/Information-on-liver-diseases/Biliary-Atresia ‚
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease ‚
http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/liver-disease/biliary-atresia/Pages/facts.aspx ‚
Last Reviewed Date
2015-11-30 ‚
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Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care provider 's advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2016 Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information, Inc. and its affiliates and/or licensors. All rights reserved. ‚