Hepatic Portoenterostomies is a medical term used for the surgical procedure to treat biliary atresia in infants, a congenital disease that affects the bile ducts. The pronunciation of this term can be broken down into each syllable, with the emphasis on the second syllable of hepatic and the third syllable of porto, IPA transcription /hɪˈpatɪk pɔːtəʊˌɛntərˈɒstəmiz/. It is important to spell this medical term accurately, as incorrect spelling can lead to confusion and errors in medical documentation, resulting in potential harm to the patient.
Hepatic portoenterostomies, also known as Kasai procedures or Portoenterostomy, are surgical interventions performed to treat biliary atresia, a rare congenital disorder affecting the bile ducts. This condition occurs when the bile ducts, which carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder and intestines, become either completely or partially blocked or absent.
During a hepatic portoenterostomy, the surgeon disconnects the damaged area of the bile ducts from the liver and replaces it with a loop of the small intestine. The goal of this procedure is to allow the bile to flow from the liver directly into the intestine, bypassing the blocked or absent ducts.
The Kasai procedure is typically performed on infants diagnosed with biliary atresia before they reach three months of age. It is considered the primary treatment option for this condition, as it can restore bile flow and alleviate symptoms, such as jaundice and poor growth. However, in some cases, a liver transplant may be necessary if the Kasai procedure fails to improve liver function.
Post-procedural care involves close monitoring of the infant's liver function and regular check-ups to assess bile flow and liver health. It is worth noting that although hepatic portoenterostomies can improve biliary atresia-related outcomes, the long-term prognosis of this condition can vary, and some children may still require a liver transplant later in life.
The word "hepatic" originates from the Greek word "hepar" meaning "liver". "Portoenterostomies" is derived from combining "porto" from "portos", the Greek word for "passage or gate", with "enterostomy", which comes from "entero" meaning "intestine" and "stomy" meaning "to make an opening". "Hepatic portoenterostomies" is a medical term used to describe a surgical procedure that creates an opening between the liver and intestine to treat certain liver conditions.