Patient's question:
My child was just born half a month ago, and their complexion is a bit yellow, but it scared us all. We don't know what to do, and their stool is also a bit dry. We called the doctor over for a checkup, and the doctor said it's jaundice caused by intestinal atresia. How high can jaundice be in babies with intestinal atresia?Doctor's answer:
The symptoms of biliary atresia include persistent jaundice after birth, grayish-white stools, and severe cases may develop liver failure, ascites, esophageal and gastric varices. Abdominal palpation may reveal an enlarged liver and splenomegaly. Blood biochemistry tests show abnormal liver function and need to rule out conditions such as hemolytic jaundice and viral hepatitis. Abdominal ultrasound typically does not show normal bile ducts or gallbladders. Surgical reconstruction of the bile drainage pathway should be pursued. The timing of surgery is crucial and should be performed within 2 months after birth. Otherwise, if surgery is delayed, children who develop biliary cirrhosis have almost no chance of treatment.