Cholestasis

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.