Cholestasis is a condition where there is a disruption in the flow of bile, causing health problems. The disorder can occur due to lack of bile or there is a blockage in the bile duct.
Cholestasis can cause several symptoms, such as jaundice, dark urine color, vaginal discharge such as putty, itching, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. This condition requires a medical examination from a doctor.
Know the Causes of Cholestasis
There are two causes of cholestasis, namely those from the liver (intrahepatic cholestasis), and those from outside the liver (extrahepatic cholestasis).
Some of the causes of intrahepatic cholestasis are:
Suffer from certain diseases
Generally intrahepatic cholestasis is caused by liver disease, such as acute hepatitis, liver disease due to excessive alcohol consumption, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Some genetic disorders and severe infections, such as liver abscesses and sepsis, can also cause cholestasis.
Drug side effects
The use of certain drugs is also one of the factors causing intrahepatic cholestasis. Drugs whose side effects can cause cholestasis include chlorpromazine, antibiotic drugs such as ampicillin, penicillin and amoxicillin, anabolic steroids, antituberculosis drugs, azathioprine, cimetidine, and birth control pills.
Cholestasis in pregnant women
In pregnant women, pregnancy hormones can cause disruption of bile flow. This condition usually occurs in the third trimester of pregnancy which is characterized by symptoms of severe itching.
After operation
In certain cases, cholestasis can also occur after surgery, especially in large operations in organs in the abdomen or the heart. The occurrence of postoperative cholestasis is also more likely to occur in patients who have a history of pancreatic disease or problems with the gallbladder.
Meanwhile, several factors that can cause extrahepatic cholestasis are:
- Gallstones or tumors in the bile duct.
- Narrowing in the bile duct.
- Cancer in the bile duct.
- Pancreatic disorders, such as pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.
- Cyst that compresses the bile duct.
- Cholangitis.
To ensure a diagnosis of cholestasis, the doctor will perform physical and supportive examinations such as a complete blood test and bilirubin test. In addition, the doctor will also conduct an ultrasound examination, MRI and CT scan of the liver and gall bladder to find the cause of cholestasis.
If cholestasis is suspected to be caused by liver cancer, the doctor will do a liver biopsy to detect whether there are cancer cells in the liver.
How to treat cholestasis
After the diagnosis of cholestasis and its causal factors is identified, the first step in the treatment of cholestasis is to overcome the underlying cause. If cholestasis is caused by side effects of drugs, the doctor will suggest to stop treatment for a while.
However, if cholestasis is caused by certain diseases, such as the presence of gallstones or tumors, the doctor can give medicines or suggest surgery. Surgery can be done with general surgical techniques, laparoscopic surgery, or endoscopy.
Especially for pregnancy cholestasis, treatment usually aims to relieve itching. The doctor may prescribe corticosteroid ointments or antigatal ointments.
One effort to prevent cholestasis that can be done is to get a hepatitis vaccine, limit consumption of alcoholic drinks and stay away from drugs.
Cholestasis can be caused by many things, immediately consult a doctor if there are symptoms of cholestasis as mentioned earlier. The doctor will do a complete examination and determine further treatment steps to treat cholestasis.
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