title: Clinical characteristics of Caroli's syndrome.
abstract: Caroli's syndrome is characterized by multiple segmental cystic or saccular dilatations of intrahepatic bile ducts associated with congenital hepatic fibrosis. The clinical features of this syndrome reflect both the characteristics of congenital hepatic fibrosis such as portal hypertension and that of Caroli's disease named as recurrent cholangitis and cholelithiasis. The diagnosis depends on both histology and imaging methods which can show the communication between the sacculi and the bile ducts. Treatment consists of symptomatic treatment of cholangitis attacks by antibiotics, some endoscopic, radiological and surgical drainage procedures and surgery. Liver transplantation seems the ultimate treatment for this disease. Prognosis is fairly good unless recurrent cholangitis and renal failure develops.
authors.affiliation: Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Gastroenterology, Sihhiye 06100, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozlem
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yonem
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bayraktar
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000473:pathology*; D016767:Caroli Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D002761:Cholangitis / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000209:etiology; D016031:Liver Transplantation
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents