Bile Duct Disease
Bile duct diseases affect the normal flow of bile from the liver and can cause liver inflammation and damage over time. They often present with abnormal liver blood tests, itching, abdominal pain, or jaundice (yellow eyes or skin). Early diagnosis and specialist follow-up are important to prevent disease progression.
Find out more about bile duct diseases and how they are assessed and managed.
What are bile duct diseases?
Bile duct diseases affect the tubes that carry bile from the liver to the small intestine. Bile is essential for digestion, and impaired bile flow can cause liver inflammation and damage over time.
These conditions may affect bile ducts inside the liver, outside the liver, or both.
What symptoms can bile duct disease cause?
Symptoms vary and may include:
- Persistent itching
- Fever
- Jaundice (yellow eyes or skin)
- Abdominal pain
Some people are diagnosed before symptoms develop, following routine blood tests or imaging.
How are bile duct diseases assessed?
Assessment focuses on identifying the underlying cause and assessing liver health. This usually involves blood tests, imaging such as ultrasound or MRI, and sometimes specialist investigations.
Early diagnosis allows appropriate monitoring and reduces the risk of progression to liver scarring and cirrhosis.
How are bile duct diseases managed?
Management depends on the specific condition and may include medication, monitoring, and treatment of complications where present. Gallstones that are stuck in the biliary ducts or blockages of the biliary duct may require treatment with Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). ERCP is a specialized, minimally invasive procedure that combines endoscopy and X-ray imaging to diagnose and treat diseases of the bile ducts.
For autoimmune conditions of the bile duct please see Autoimmune liver disease.
Long-term specialist follow-up is often required to protect liver health.