Steroids after surgery do not help infants with rare liver disease
Sunday, May 4, 2014 - 18:00
in Health & Medicine
Infants with biliary atresia -- a rare liver disease -- did not benefit from corticosteroid treatment after bile duct surgery and could face more harm, according to a new study. In biliary atresia, inflammation leads to blockage of the large bile ducts. Bile becomes trapped, causing damage to the liver and leading to scarring, loss of liver tissue and liver failure. Most infants with this serious disease require bile duct surgery and may later need a liver transplant. Worldwide, biliary atresia is the most common reason for liver transplantation in children.