BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuCholestasisIntrahepatic cholestasis; Extrahepatic cholestasisCholestasis is any condition in which the flow of bile from the liver is slowed or blocked.BileBile is a fluid that is made and released by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Bile helps with digestion. It breaks down fats into fatty acid...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Causes There are many causes of cholestasis.Extrahepatic cholestasis occurs outside the liver. It can be caused by: Bile duct tumors Cysts affecting the bile duct Narrowing of the bile duct (strictures) Stones in the common bile duct Pancreatitis Pancreatic tumor or pseudocyst Pressure on the bile ducts due to a nearby mass or tumor Primary sclerosing cholangitis Intrahepatic cholestasis occurs inside the liver. It can be caused by: Alcoholic liver disease Amyloidosis Bacterial abscess in the liver AbscessAn abscess is a collection of pus in any part of the body. In most cases, the area around an abscess is swollen and inflamed.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Being fed exclusively through a vein (IV) Lymphoma Pregnancy Primary biliary cholangitis (previously called primary biliary cirrhosis) Primary or metastatic liver cancer MetastaticLiver metastases refer to cancer that has spread to the liver from somewhere else in the body. Liver metastases are not the same as cancer that start...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Primary sclerosing cholangitis Sarcoidosis SarcoidosisSarcoidosis is a disease in which inflammation occurs in the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, eyes, skin, and/or other tissues.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Serious infections that have spread through the bloodstream (sepsis) Tuberculosis Viral hepatitis Certain medicines can also cause cholestasis, including:Antibiotics, such as ampicillin and other penicillin Anabolic steroids Birth control pills Chlorpromazine Cimetidine Estradiol Imipramine Prochlorperazine Terbinafine Tolbutamide Symptoms Symptoms may include:Clay-colored or pale stools Dark urine Inability to digest certain foods Itching Nausea or vomiting Pain in the right upper part of the abdomen Yellow skin or eyes Exams and Tests Blood tests may show that you have elevated bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase.BilirubinThe bilirubin blood test measures the level of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellowish pigment found in bile, a fluid made by the liver. Bi...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Alkaline phosphataseAlkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a protein found in all body tissues. Tissues with higher amounts of ALP include the liver, bile ducts, and bone. A blo...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Imaging tests are used to diagnose this condition. Tests include:CT scan of the abdomen MRI of the abdomen Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), can also determine cause Ultrasound of the abdomen Treatment The underlying cause of cholestasis must be treated. Outlook (Prognosis) How well a person does depends on the disease causing the condition. Stones in the common bile duct can often be removed. This can cure the cholestasis.Stents can be placed to open areas of the common bile duct that are narrowed or blocked by cancers.If the condition is caused by the use of a certain medicine, it will often go away when you stop taking that drug. Possible Complications Complications may include:Diarrhea Organ failure can occur if sepsis develops Poor absorption of fat and fat-soluble vitamins Severe itching Weak bones (osteomalacia) due to having cholestasis for a very long time When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if you have:Itching that does not go away Yellow skin or eyes Other symptoms of cholestasis Prevention Get vaccinated for hepatitis A and B if you are at risk. Do not use intravenous drugs and share needles. Open ReferencesReferencesEaton JE, Lindor KD. Primary biliary cholangitis. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 91.Fogel EL, Sherman S. Diseases of the gallbladder and bile ducts. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 146.Lidofsky SD. Jaundice. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 21.AllVideoImagesTogGallstones - illustration The gallbladder is an organ that normally functions to store bile excreted from the liver. Bile is a solution composed of water, bile salts, lecithin, cholesterol and some other small solutes. Changes in the relative concentration of these components may cause precipitation from solution and formation of a nidus, or nest, around which gallstones are formed. Gallstones can become large and block the opening from the gallbladder or cystic duct. This produces pain in the right upper quadrant or midepigastrum (above the belly button) in the abdomen that feels like cramping.GallstonesillustrationGallbladder - illustration The gallbladder is a sac located under the liver. It stores and concentrates the bile produced in the liver. Bile is released from the gallbladder in response to food, especially fats, in the upper small intestine.GallbladderillustrationGallbladder - illustration The gallbladder is a muscular sac located under the liver. It stores and concentrates the bile produced in the liver that is not immediately needed for digestion. Bile is released from the gallbladder into the small intestine in response to food. The pancreatic duct joins the common bile duct at the small intestine adding enzymes to aid in digestion.GallbladderillustrationGallstones - illustration The gallbladder is an organ that normally functions to store bile excreted from the liver. Bile is a solution composed of water, bile salts, lecithin, cholesterol and some other small solutes. Changes in the relative concentration of these components may cause precipitation from solution and formation of a nidus, or nest, around which gallstones are formed. Gallstones can become large and block the opening from the gallbladder or cystic duct. This produces pain in the right upper quadrant or midepigastrum (above the belly button) in the abdomen that feels like cramping.GallstonesillustrationGallbladder - illustration The gallbladder is a sac located under the liver. It stores and concentrates the bile produced in the liver. Bile is released from the gallbladder in response to food, especially fats, in the upper small intestine.GallbladderillustrationGallbladder - illustration The gallbladder is a muscular sac located under the liver. It stores and concentrates the bile produced in the liver that is not immediately needed for digestion. Bile is released from the gallbladder into the small intestine in response to food. The pancreatic duct joins the common bile duct at the small intestine adding enzymes to aid in digestion.GallbladderillustrationRelated Information Bile(Special Topic) Review Date: 5/4/2022 Reviewed By: Michael M. Phillips, MD, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. 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CholestasisIntrahepatic cholestasis; Extrahepatic cholestasisCholestasis is any condition in which the flow of bile from the liver is slowed or blocked.BileBile is a fluid that is made and released by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Bile helps with digestion. It breaks down fats into fatty acid...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Causes There are many causes of cholestasis.Extrahepatic cholestasis occurs outside the liver. It can be caused by: Bile duct tumors Cysts affecting the bile duct Narrowing of the bile duct (strictures) Stones in the common bile duct Pancreatitis Pancreatic tumor or pseudocyst Pressure on the bile ducts due to a nearby mass or tumor Primary sclerosing cholangitis Intrahepatic cholestasis occurs inside the liver. It can be caused by: Alcoholic liver disease Amyloidosis Bacterial abscess in the liver AbscessAn abscess is a collection of pus in any part of the body. In most cases, the area around an abscess is swollen and inflamed.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Being fed exclusively through a vein (IV) Lymphoma Pregnancy Primary biliary cholangitis (previously called primary biliary cirrhosis) Primary or metastatic liver cancer MetastaticLiver metastases refer to cancer that has spread to the liver from somewhere else in the body. Liver metastases are not the same as cancer that start...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Primary sclerosing cholangitis Sarcoidosis SarcoidosisSarcoidosis is a disease in which inflammation occurs in the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, eyes, skin, and/or other tissues.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Serious infections that have spread through the bloodstream (sepsis) Tuberculosis Viral hepatitis Certain medicines can also cause cholestasis, including:Antibiotics, such as ampicillin and other penicillin Anabolic steroids Birth control pills Chlorpromazine Cimetidine Estradiol Imipramine Prochlorperazine Terbinafine Tolbutamide Symptoms Symptoms may include:Clay-colored or pale stools Dark urine Inability to digest certain foods Itching Nausea or vomiting Pain in the right upper part of the abdomen Yellow skin or eyes Exams and Tests Blood tests may show that you have elevated bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase.BilirubinThe bilirubin blood test measures the level of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellowish pigment found in bile, a fluid made by the liver. Bi...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Alkaline phosphataseAlkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a protein found in all body tissues. Tissues with higher amounts of ALP include the liver, bile ducts, and bone. A blo...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Imaging tests are used to diagnose this condition. Tests include:CT scan of the abdomen MRI of the abdomen Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), can also determine cause Ultrasound of the abdomen Treatment The underlying cause of cholestasis must be treated. Outlook (Prognosis) How well a person does depends on the disease causing the condition. Stones in the common bile duct can often be removed. This can cure the cholestasis.Stents can be placed to open areas of the common bile duct that are narrowed or blocked by cancers.If the condition is caused by the use of a certain medicine, it will often go away when you stop taking that drug. Possible Complications Complications may include:Diarrhea Organ failure can occur if sepsis develops Poor absorption of fat and fat-soluble vitamins Severe itching Weak bones (osteomalacia) due to having cholestasis for a very long time When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if you have:Itching that does not go away Yellow skin or eyes Other symptoms of cholestasis Prevention Get vaccinated for hepatitis A and B if you are at risk. Do not use intravenous drugs and share needles. Open ReferencesReferencesEaton JE, Lindor KD. Primary biliary cholangitis. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 91.Fogel EL, Sherman S. Diseases of the gallbladder and bile ducts. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 146.Lidofsky SD. Jaundice. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 21.