CHOLESTATIC JAUNDICE

Course overview

CHOLESTASIS IS DEFINED AS STAGNATION, OR AT LEAST A MARKED REDUCTION, IN BILE SECRETION AND FLOW. CHOLESTASIS CAN BE DUE TO A FUNCTIONAL IMPAIRMENT OF THE HEPATOCYTES IN THE SECRETION OF BILE AND/OR DUE TO AN OBSTRUCTION AT ANY LEVEL OF THE EXCRETORY PATHWAY OF BILE. CHOLESTATIC JAUNDICE CAN BE CLASSIFIED INTO INTRAHEPATIC OR EXTRAHEPATIC CHOLESTASIS, DEPENDING UPON THE LEVEL OF OBSTRUCTION TO BILE FLOW. CLINICALLY, CHOLESTASIS LEADS TO RETENTION OF THE CONSTITUENTS OF BILE IN BLOOD. PROMINENT FEATURES OF CHOLESTASIS ARE PRURITUS AND MALABSORPTION OF FAT AND FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHOLESTATIC JAUNDICE AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE CARE OF AFFECTED PATIENTS.