Question
A child was diagnosed with congenital biliary atresia shortly after birth, and the parents are very worried, asking about treatment options that can help the child.
Answer
For congenital biliary atresia, the basic surgical strategy is to attempt to remove fibrous tissue at the hilum to restore the patency of part of the extrahepatic bile ducts. If successful, the child has a chance of survival. However, liver transplantation is currently the only effective treatment, especially for severe cases. Approximately half of pediatric liver transplant cases are due to congenital biliary atresia, and about 90% of patients under one year old require liver transplantation before adulthood.