What is Biliary Atresia?

Biliary Atresia is a rare (about 1 in 10,000), serious disease that affects newborns. It is a chronic and progressive disease. In biliary atresia, bile ducts that are located inside or outside the liver do not develop normally. They are small, damaged and blocked.
The liver makes bile. Bile then passes through the bile ducts and into the intestines where it helps digest food, fats, and cholesterol. The loss (atresia) and injury of bile ducts causes bile to remain in the liver. When bile builds up it can damage the liver, causing scarring and loss of liver tissue. Eventually the liver will not be able to work properly and cirrhosis will occur. Biliary Atresia can lead to liver failure and the need for liver transplantation.
The cause of Biliary Atresia is unknown. It is not an inherited disorder.