Cholestasis Health Dictionary

Stagnation of bile in the small bile ducts within the liver, leading to jaundice and liver disease. The obstruction to the flow of bile may be intrahepatic (within the liver) or extrahepatic (in the bile ducts outside the liver). Intrahepatic cholestasis may occur as a result of viral hepatitis (see hepatitis, viral) or as a side effect of a number of drugs. The flow of bile improves gradually as the inflammation from the hepatitis resolves or the drug is discontinued. The bile ducts outside the liver can become obstructed by, for example, gallstones or tumours (see bile duct obstruction); rarely, the ducts are absent from birth (see biliary atresia). Bile duct obstruction and biliary atresia are often treated surgically.

A reduction or stoppage in the ?ow of BILE into the intestine caused either by a blockage such as a stone in the BILE DUCT or by liver disease disturbing the production of bile. The ?rst type is called extrahepatic biliary obstruction and the second, intrahepatic cholestasis. The patient develops jaundice and itching and passes dark urine and pale faeces. Cholestasis may occasionally occur during pregnancy.

n. failure of normal amounts of bile to reach the intestine. This may be secondary to mechanical obstruction of the bile ducts, for example by gallstones or tumour (extrahepatic biliary obstruction), or to disturbances in bile formation (intrahepatic cholestasis). Many common drugs are associated with intrahepatic cholestasis, and it may occur in pregnancy (see obstetric cholestasis). The cardinal symptom of cholestasis is pruritus (itching); other symptoms include jaundice (more typical of extrahepatic cholestasis), dark urine, and pale stools.