title: Current concept about postoperative cholangitis in biliary atresia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Postoperative cholangitis characterized by fever and acholic stool and positive blood culture is a common and serious complication following Kasai's operation for biliary atresia. The aim of this review was to describe the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, medical treatment and outcome of postoperative cholangitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Articles on biliary atresia retrieved from Pubmed and MEDLINE in the recent 10 years were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pathogenesis of postoperative cholangitis is still controversial. Recent methods for the diagnosis of postoperative cholangitis include urinary sulfated bile acids (USBA) and magnetic resonance cholangio-pancreaticography (MRCP). High-dose steroids and oral antibiotics have been used to reduce the incidence of postoperative cholangitis, and recurrent cholangitis leads to a lower survival rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cholangitis is one of the most important determinants of long-term survival after the Kasai's procedure. The knowledge on postoperative cholangitis has been increasing in the past 10 years, showing a lower incidence of the disease and better therapeutic results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000652:urine; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000503:physiopathology; D001656:Biliary Atresia / Q000601:surgery*; D049448:Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance; D002761:Cholangitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D020347:Lithiasis / Q000150:complications; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications; D011171:Portoenterostomy, Hepatic / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D005938:Glucocorticoids