73 bytes added ,  20:36, 6 July 2010
Line 27: Line 27:  
*In '''chronic liver failure''', so much hepatic function is lost that the bilirubin produced by the constant turnover of red blood cells cannot be taken up and conjugated, leading to an accumulation of unconjugated bilirubin in the blood.  
 
*In '''chronic liver failure''', so much hepatic function is lost that the bilirubin produced by the constant turnover of red blood cells cannot be taken up and conjugated, leading to an accumulation of unconjugated bilirubin in the blood.  
   −
====Post-hepatic Jaundice====
+
===Post-hepatic Jaundice===
 
This occurs due to an obstruction in the biliary tract which normally carriers bile from the liver and gall bladder to the duodenum.  Conjugated bilirubin is found in the urine but, in complete obstruction, urobilinogen will be absent from the urine and stercobilin from the faeces.  Possible causes of post-hepatic jaundice include:
 
This occurs due to an obstruction in the biliary tract which normally carriers bile from the liver and gall bladder to the duodenum.  Conjugated bilirubin is found in the urine but, in complete obstruction, urobilinogen will be absent from the urine and stercobilin from the faeces.  Possible causes of post-hepatic jaundice include:
 
*'''Intraluminal obstructions''':
 
*'''Intraluminal obstructions''':
 
**'''Choleliths''' ('gall stones') are much less common in animals than they are in humans.  They are usually composed of bilirubin salts in dogs and calcium carbonate in cats, although they are very rare in the latter species.
 
**'''Choleliths''' ('gall stones') are much less common in animals than they are in humans.  They are usually composed of bilirubin salts in dogs and calcium carbonate in cats, although they are very rare in the latter species.
**'''Gall bladder mucocoeles''', producing a kiwi sign on radiographs.
+
**'''Gall bladder mucocoeles''' produce a kiwi sign on radiographs and may be a sequel to cystic mucinous hyperplasia of the gall bladder mucosa.
 
**'''Biliary neoplasia''', most commonly cholangiocellular adenoma (in cats) or carcinoma (in dogs).
 
**'''Biliary neoplasia''', most commonly cholangiocellular adenoma (in cats) or carcinoma (in dogs).
 
*'''Extraluminal obstructions''':
 
*'''Extraluminal obstructions''':
829

edits