Abstract
In the poor bile flow (10 cases), the initial bile flow after portenterostomy (KASAI-SAWAGUCHI) contained low levels of total bile acids and high levels of lithocolic acid, deoxycholic acid and free bile acids, Urusodeoxycholic acid was detected at a high level and free bile acids were still maintained at high levels 4 weeks later. In the good bile flow group (3 cases), jaundice disappeared, but the total bile acid level was low and the urusodeoxycholic acid level was high. The composition of bile acids in this group was similar to that observed 4 weeks later in the poor bile flow group. These results suggest that abnormal metabolism of bile acid in the liver cell and disturbance of bile secretion at the level of bile canaliculi, especially that of bile acid-dependent bile secretion, may continue after KASAI'S operation for congenital billiary atresia.
