Biliary atresia: experience in a Military Hospital

The purpose of this case series is to determine the types of biliary atresias presenting to our department, options available to confirm the diagnosis with appropriate management and their results. A total of 12 patients with suspected biliary atresia presented to the Department of Paediatric Surgery at Military Hospital Rawalpindi. Out of them 11 patients underwent surgical intervention. Age of the patients ranged from 6 weeks to 16 weeks [mean age 68.80 days]. One patient was beyond the scope of biliary drainage. Out of 11 patients operated, operative cholangiography revealed patent extrahepatic biliary tree in 6 patients [55%], thus excluding biliary atresia. One patient [9%] had patency of distal biliary tree with proximal obliteration [Type B] and 4 patients [36%] had complete obliteration of extrahepatic ducts [Type A]. These 5 patients of biliary atresia [45%] underwent traditional Kasai portoenterostomy. Two patients [40%] were stable postoperatively, 2 patients [40%] had gradual deterioration after initial improvement, and 1 patient [20%] died in perioperative period