Biliary atresia physical examination

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

All patients with BA present with varying degree of jaundice, clay-colored stools and dark yellow urine. The severity of jaundice increases steadily and it is not unusual to find bilirubin levels around 20 mg% at the time of first presentation in developing countries. Failure to thrive, coagulopathy and anemia are also not uncommon. In a review of BA, only 5% cases were seen below 60 days of age, 40% between two and three months, 30% between three and four months and 25% presented beyond four months of age

• Swollen abdominal region(Ascites)
• Large hardened liver
• Large spleen
• umbilical hernia
• prominent abdominal veins
• respiratory discomfort