introduction: early differentiation of biliary atresia from neonatal hepatitis is of utmost importance, since on time surgery of biliary atresia significantly improves the outcome. hepatobiliary scintigraphy is an integral part of diagnosis work-up of these patients; however its specificity for diagnosis of biliary atresia is suboptimal. in this study we evaluated the value of ursodeoxycholic a...

BACKGROUND Neonatal hepatitis refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders, caused by many factors including cytomegalovirus infection, revealing similar morphologic changes in the liver of an infant less than 3 months of age. Approximately 40% of cholestasis in infants is due to neonatal hepatitis. It may cause latent or acute cholestatic or chronic hepatitis, including cirrhosis in immunocomp...

Recognition of neonatal liver disease has been heavily dependent on the occurrence of jaundice. In most instances the jaundice is related to specific disturbances in bilirubin transport and other tests of liver function are normal. In contrast, hepatitis and other liver diseases not specifically affecting bilirubin transport often go undetected unless jaundice occurs. The development of practic...

Neonatal infants who require total parenteral nutrition (TPN) after major operations are susceptible to total parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis (TPNAC). A therapeutic dilemma ensues if cholestasis does not resolve after the institution of full enteral nutrition. The authors report the reversal of TPN-associated cholestasis by intravenous cholecystokinin in eight infants who had underg...

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare, fatal disease. Neonatal cholestasis exhibits symptoms similar to those seen in several newborn diseases. HLH is rapidly fatal; therefore, an effective and prompt differential diagnosis is vital. A 10-hour-old newborn with icterus was referred to our clinic. Laboratory examination revealed direct bilirubinemia and pancytopenia, and cholestasis ...