Question
What causes bile duct obstruction?
Answer
The cause of bile duct obstruction is not yet definitively established. Early research indicates that the condition may be related to abnormal development of the bile duct system during the fourth to tenth weeks of embryonic development. The liver tissue is damaged due to bile duct blockage and bile stasis. In the early stages of the disease, the liver may slightly enlarge, but it can develop into severe biliary cirrhosis within a few months. This is characterized by a visibly enlarged and hardened liver with a brown-green, granular, or nodular surface.