title: An unusual case of an icteric infant with abdominal distention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Jaundiced infants are uncommon in most emergency departments (EDs). Biliary rupture remains one of the more rare and less described causes of this condition.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 5-month-old male presented to our ED with scleral icterus, increasing abdominal distention, and increased irritability. A bedside ultrasound revealed a moderate amount of ascites and further imaging suggested he had a rupture of his common bile duct. Surgical exploration confirmed this and revealed the presence of choledocholithiasis, which was the likely cause of the rupture. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Biliary rupture remains a rare but serious condition in very young patients. Emergency physicians should consider bedside ultrasound as an adjunct in undifferentiated abdominal distention or jaundice in this patient population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, UC San Diego Health System, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, UC San Diego Health System, San Diego, California; Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Rady's Children Hospital, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ishimine
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, UC San Diego Health System, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lasoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, UC San Diego Health System, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, UC San Diego Health System, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campbell
mesh_terms: D001201:Ascites / Q000209:etiology*; D042883:Choledocholithiasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D003135:Common Bile Duct; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007565:Jaundice / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology
keywords: biliary rupture; choledocholithiasis; jaundice