Biliary AtresiaSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Biliary Atresia
Biliary atresia is a blockage in the tubes (bile ducts) that carry a liquid called bile from the liver to the gallbladder.
Jaundice newborns - biliary atresia; Newborn jaundice - biliary atresia; Extrahepatic ductopenia; Progressive obliterative cholangiopathy
Biliary atresia occurs when the bile ducts inside or outside the liver are abnormally narrow, blocked, or absent. The bile ducts carry a digestive fluid from liver to small bowel to break down fats and filter out waste from the body.
The cause of the disease is not clear. It may be due to:
- Viral infection after birth
- Exposure to toxic substances
- Multiple genetic factors
- Perinatal injury
- Some medicines such as carbamazepine
It more commonly affects people of East Asian and African-American descent.
The bile ducts help remove waste from the liver and carry salts that help the small intestine break down (digest) fat.
In babies with biliary atresia, bile flow from the liver to the gallbladder is blocked. This can lead to liver damage and cirrhosis of the liver, which can be deadly.
Symptoms usually start to occur between 2 to 8 weeks of age. Jaundice (a yellow color to the skin and mucus membranes) develops slowly 2 to 3 weeks after birth. The infant may gain weight normally for the first month. After that point, the baby will lose weight and become irritable, and will have worsening jaundice.
Other symptoms may include:
- Dark urine
- Swollen belly
- Foul-smelling and floating stools
- Pale or clay-colored stools
- Slow growth
An operation called the Kasai procedure is done to connect the liver to the small intestine. The abnormal ducts are bypassed. The surgery is more successful if done before the baby is 8 weeks old.
Liver transplant may still be needed before 20 years of age in most of the cases.
Mureo Kasahara is a Transplant Surgeon practicing medicine in Tokyo, Japan. Kasahara is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Biliary Atresia. They are also highly rated in 11 other conditions, according to our data. Their clinical expertise encompasses Biliary Atresia, Urea Cycle Disorders (UCD), Liver Failure, Liver Transplant, and Hepatectomy.
Henkjan Verkade practices practicing medicine in Groningen, Netherlands. Mr. Verkade is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Biliary Atresia. He is also highly rated in 20 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis Type 1, Cholestasis, Alagille Syndrome, Liver Transplant, and Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery.
Medina Medical Office Building
Karen Murray is a Pediatrics provider practicing medicine in Medina, Ohio. Dr. Murray is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Biliary Atresia. She is also highly rated in 4 other conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Biliary Atresia, Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AATD), and Celiac Disease. Dr. Murray is board certified in American Board Of Pediatrics, 2006. Dr. Murray is currently accepting new patients.
Early surgery will improve the survival of more than one third of babies with this condition. The long-term benefit of a liver transplant is not yet known, but it is expected to improve survival.
Complications may include:
- Infection
- Irreversible cirrhosis
- Liver failure
- Surgical complications, including failure of the Kasai procedure
Contact your child's provider if your child appears jaundiced, or if other symptoms of biliary atresia develop.
Summary: This project will primarily evaluate the developmental/genetic basis of biliary atresia, the most common cause of liver failure at birth, and which accounts of half of all liver transplants performed worldwide in children.
Summary: Although considered a rare disease, Biliary Atresia (BA) is the leading cause of neonatal cholestasis and liver transplantation in children. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms that drive BA. The purpose of this study is to collect the fluid samples, explanted liver tissue samples and dermal biopsy samples to enable investigators to perform the genetic and molecular analyses that might ...
Published Date: January 01, 2026
Published By: Charles I. Schwartz, MD, FAAP, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Regional Medical Director of Penn Medicine Primary and Specialty Care, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, General Pediatrician at PennCare for Kids, Phoenixville, PA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Berlin SC, Carr CB. Diagnostic imaging of the neonate. In: Martin RJ, Fanaroff AA, eds. Fanaroff and Martin's Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 38.
Cazares J, Ure B, Yamataka A. Biliary atresia. In: Holcomb GW, Murphy JP, St. Peter SD, eds. Holcomb and Ashcraft's Pediatric Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 43.
Kaplan M, Wong RJ, Bensen R, Sibley E, Stevenson DK. Neonatal jaundice and liver disease. In: Martin RJ, Fanaroff AA, eds. Fanaroff and Martin's Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 95.
Lam S, Balistreri WF. Cholestasis. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 404.