Cholestatis in Infancy
Catherine Mews MBBS1
Frank R. Sinatra MD2
1 Fellow in Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
2 Professor of Pediatrics, University of Southern California School of Medicine
It is imperative that serum bilirubin fractionation be performed in any infant whose jaundice is prolonged to identify the infant who has cholestasis. Conjugated hyperbilirubinemia always is pathologic, and a well-organized and expedient diagnostic evaluation should be undertaken to identify those conditions that are treatable medically or surgically if they are recognized early. The complications of prolonged cholestasis need to be recognized and the appropriate medical therapy instituted to allow patients to maximize their growth potential, avoid the problems of nutrient deficiencies, and maintain a reasonable quality of life. Hepatic transplantation now offers the opportunity for long-term survival for infants whose liver disorders previously were fatal.
