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Jaundice |
Details
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Jaundice is a medical condition in which the whites of the eyes (scleral) and yellow skin discoloration, resulted from abnormally large amounts of the bile pigment, bilirubin, in the person’s bloodstream. Damaged or old red blood cells are removed from circulations mostly by the spleen. During this process, hemoglobin (red blood cell part that carries oxygen) is broken down into the bile pigment bilerubin. Bilerubin travels to the liver and is excreted into the person’s intestine as a bile component. If the bilerubin excretion is hindered, extra bilerubin passes into the bloodstream, causing jaundice. High number of bilerubin in the person’s blood can happen when inflammation or other liver cell abnormalities hinder its excretion into bile. In some cases, the bile ducts outside the liver can be blocked by tumors or gallstones. In fewer cases, bilerubin high levels can be caused by breakdown of high counts of red blood cells, as rarely happens in newborns with jaundice. In people with Gilbert’s syndrome, levels of bilirubin slightly is higher, but generally not enough to result in jaundice. Such hereditary disorder is usually found during liver function routine screening test; it results in no problems and has no other symptoms. In people with jaundice, the whites of the eyes and skin are yellow. The urine is frequently dark because the bile pigment, bilirubin is excreted through the kidney. Other symptoms of jaundice depend on the underlying causes. A physician performs imaging studies and laboratory tests to define the causes of the jaundice. If the jaundice is caused by liver disease such as viral hepatitis, jaundice disappears as the liver condition improves. If jaundice is caused by bile duct blockage, then endoscopy or surgery is needed promptly to reopen the blocked bile ducts.
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| Category |
Disease Conditions > J
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| Related Searches |
newborn jaundice, neonatal jaundice |
| Date Submitted |
14-Dec-2005
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