Biliary atresia is a rare liver disease affecting newborns. In those babies bile ducts are blocked, and bile cannot flow from the liver to the intestines. Biliary atresia patients require a special surgery called "Kasai operation" to restore the bile flow. A common and serious problem after surgery is an infection of the bile ducts, called cholangitis, which can damage the liver and lead an earlier need for liver transplantation.
In 2022, a group of international experts led by the Swiss Pediatric Liver Center from the HUG created new guidelines to help identify and treat cholangitis more consistently.
This study will test how well these new definitions work in real life of hospitals. Over one year, physicians will collect data on children in whom they suspect cholangitis in the first year after their Kasai. The goal is to see whether these new definitions are applicable in the clinical setting.
The study will involve around 40 patients and will use secure methods to store data. The findings will help improve how cholangitis is diagnosed and treated, making care more effective and consistent for children with biliary atresia.