Extra-hepatic biliary atresia preoperative and surgical assessment in 25; cases seen in Zaira

Admission in a seven year period of 25 infants with biliary atresia. We note that prelaparatomy percutaneous liver established the diagnosis of extrahepatic biliary atresia; which were confirmed at laparatomy. Fifty percent of the patients had liver cirrhosis before surgery. Therefore; bile drainage was not established in any of the 25 patients following hepatic surgery. Six (24 percent) died of hepatic failure during the period of follow-up. Factors responsible for the poor success rate of surgery included late presentation and grossly non correctible lesions