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Biliary dyskinesia in pediatrics

Grzegorz Telega1

  • 1Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226-0509, USA. telega@mcw.edu

Current Gastroenterology Reports
|March 15, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Biliary dyskinesia, a cause of gallbladder pain without stones in children, is diagnosed by specific symptoms and low gallbladder function. Surgery may improve symptoms, but diagnosis and treatment remain debated.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Hepatology
  • Surgical Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Biliary dyskinesia is a cause of acalculous biliary colic in children.
  • Diagnosis involves abdominal pain, no gallstones, and low gallbladder ejection fraction.
  • Cholecystectomy shows promise in case series, but remains controversial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the pathophysiology of biliary dyskinesia in pediatric patients.
  • To discuss current diagnostic criteria and management strategies.
  • To analyze available data on treatment efficacy in children.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of pediatric case series and studies.
  • Analysis of diagnostic criteria including symptom triad and gallbladder ejection fraction.
  • Evaluation of treatment outcomes, primarily cholecystectomy.

Main Results:

  • Biliary dyskinesia presents with abdominal pain, nausea, or fatty food intolerance.
  • Abnormal gallbladder ejection fraction is a key diagnostic marker.
  • Symptomatic improvement is reported in a majority of pediatric patients post-cholecystectomy.

Conclusions:

  • Biliary dyskinesia is a significant consideration for pediatric acalculous biliary colic.
  • Further research is needed to standardize diagnosis and management.
  • Surgical intervention may offer relief, but requires careful patient selection.

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