Liver, biliary tract, and portal system in infants, children, and adolescents

Liver, biliary tract, and portal vein diseases: what are they?

Liver diseases, biliary tract disorders (hepatobiliary conditions), and portal vein diseases are relatively rare in children and often unknown to the general public. However, these conditions, which affect the blood drainage system between the digestive organs and the liver, often present clinical signs that are relatively easy to identify. These conditions can be serious, and if not treated in time, they can put the child’s life at risk.

Hepatobiliary and portal system diseases

Liver, biliary tract, and portal vein diseases encompass a range of conditions that affect these organs, which are essential for digestion and metabolism. These diseases may include infections, congenital malformations, metabolic disorders, or blockages (obstructions).

Main hepatobiliary diseases

Biliary atresia: an obstruction or absence of the bile ducts preventing the normal elimination of bile.
Liver cancerous tumors: malignant masses affecting liver function.
Biliary tract malformations: such as choledochal cysts, which disrupt bile drainage.
Portal hypertension: often caused by a portal vein thrombosis, leading to increased pressure in the abdominal venous system.
Liver trauma: liver injuries resulting from an accident or impact.
Although these medical conditions are complex and sometimes life-threatening for the child, they share a positive aspect: in many cases, specialized surgical intervention can treat or even cure them.

How to identify these conditions?

Liver and biliary tract diseases in children can present with symptoms that are often easy to spot, such as:

Jaundice (yellowing of the eyes or skin),
A palpable mass in the abdomen, sometimes discovered by chance,
Digestive bleeding (vomiting with blood),
Pale or colorless stools, indicating a problem with bile elimination.

After an accident (car, bicycle, sports, fall, scooter), a medical examination is essential to ensure that no abdominal organ, particularly the liver, has been injured.

These conditions can be serious and require prompt attention to prevent long-term complications. They necessitate thorough evaluation by a specialized team, including pediatricians, surgeons, radiologists, anesthetists, intensivists, and pathologists.

A precise diagnosis is crucial to determine the most appropriate treatment, which often involves a complex but generally effective and curative surgical intervention.

Pediatric Hepatobiliary and portal system surgery Clinic

Secretariat-chirped [dot] huderf [at] hubruxelles [dot] be (Send an Email)

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Advice for Parents

Parents of a child showing symptoms such as jaundice (yellowing of the whites of the eyes or skin), a palpable mass in the abdomen (often discovered by chance), vomiting blood, or pale or colorless stools should promptly inform their pediatrician or doctor. The doctor will quickly refer the child to a specialized center for pediatric hepatobiliary diseases, such as the Pediatric Surgery Department at the University Hospital for Children.