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Biliary stricture

Definition:
Biliary stricture involves an abnormal narrowing of the biliary duct that transports bile (a chemical used in digestion) from the liver to the small intestine.

Alternative Names:
Bile duct stricture

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Biliary strictures are often caused by surgical trauma to the bile ducts. The leakage of bile that results can lead to localized infection and scar tissue formation, which can impair the functioning of the bile ducts and sometimes nearby organs, such as the liver.

Other causes of this condition are blunt injury to the intestine, pancreatitis, breakdown of the duct by a gallstone in the bile duct, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and cancer of the bile duct.

Risk factors include previous biliary surgery, pancreatitis, cholelithiasis, or injury to the intestine.



Review Date: 11/7/2002
Reviewed By: Jenifer K. Lehrer, M.D., Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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