Hepatobiliary disease: causes, symptoms, treatment

Worried about your condition? Talk to a GP.

What is hepatobiliary disease?

Hepatobiliary disease is a broad term for any condition affecting your liver, gallbladder or bile ducts, the network of tubes that carries bile between them. It covers a wide range of problems, from minor infections and gallstones to liver scarring (cirrhosis) and cancer.

Symptoms of hepatobiliary disease

Many people with liver problems have no symptoms at all, especially in the early stages. When symptoms do appear, they can include:

yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)
abdominal pain, particularly in the upper right or middle of your tummy
pain after eating fatty foods
feeling or being sick
fever or chills
loss of appetite and weight loss
itchy skin
fatigue and weakness
swollen legs or ankles, or a build-up of fluid in your tummy (ascites)
unusually light-coloured stools or dark urine.

Causes of hepatobiliary disease and who is at risk

Hepatobiliary disease can be caused by a wide range of things, including viral, bacterial or parasitic infections, alcohol, poor nutrition, metabolic disorders and abnormal cell growth. Heart failure can also affect the liver by reducing its blood supply.

You may be more at risk if you:

drink alcohol heavily, which is a well-established cause of liver scarring (cirrhosis)
have been exposed to infected blood, for example through shared needles, razors or a blood transfusion
have a genetic condition such as Wilson's disease, haemochromatosis or alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
are living with obesity, which increases your risk of gallstones and fatty liver disease
have an autoimmune condition affecting your liver or bile ducts.

Are there different types of hepatobiliary disease?

The three main types of hepatobiliary disease affect the liver, gallbladder or bileduct.

Liver conditions include:

alcohol-related and non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease
hepatitis, caused by a virus, certain medicines or an autoimmune reaction
cirrhosis, where scarring builds up and stops your liver working properly
haemochromatosis, a genetic condition that causes high iron levels
non-cancerous and cancerous liver tumours.

Gallbladder conditions include:

gallstones, often linked to high cholesterol
gallbladder inflammation (cholecystitis)
gallstone pancreatitis
gallbladder polyps
gallbladder cancer.

Bile duct conditions include:

bile duct stones
bile duct inflammation (cholangitis)
primary sclerosing cholangitis, a long-term liver condition
bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma).

How is hepatobiliary disease diagnosed?

How hepatobiliary disease is diagnosed depends on which part of the system is affected and what symptoms you have. Your doctor will start by taking a medical history and asking about your overall health.

Blood tests can check how well your liver is working and look for signs of infection, abnormal blood clotting or markers linked to liver cancer. Imaging tests such as ultrasound, MRI, CT or a specialised MRCP scan can look at the structure of your liver, gallbladder and bile ducts, and a biopsy may be used to examine a small sample of liver tissue under a microscope.

How is hepatobiliary disease treated?

Treatment for hepatobiliary disease depends entirely on which condition you have and how severe it is.

For some conditions, such as cirrhosis caused by alcohol, the most important step is to stop drinking alcohol to help prevent further damage. If a large part of your liver stops working and cannot be repaired, a liver transplant may be the only option.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if you notice:

yellowing of your skin or eyes
persistent abdominal pain
unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite
ongoing fatigue, itchy skin, or swelling in your legs or tummy
changes to the colour of your urine or stools.

Hepatobiliary disease can range from minor to very serious, so early detection and treatment are important for limiting how far it progresses.

FAQs

Can hepatobiliary disease be prevented?

Some hepatobiliary conditions, such as alcohol-related liver disease, can be prevented through lifestyle changes like eating a balanced diet, avoiding alcohol, exercising regularly and keeping up to date with vaccinations.
What foods should I avoid if I have hepatobiliary disease?

Your specialist may advise you to cut down on foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fat, and to stop drinking alcohol. The exact advice will depend on which condition you have.
How serious is hepatobiliary disease?

It varies widely. Some hepatobiliary conditions are minor and cause no lasting harm, while others are very serious. Early detection and treatment give you the best chance of preventing complications and limiting how far the disease progresses.
What happens if my liver fails?

Liver failure happens when a large part of your liver stops working and cannot be repaired. It can lead to further complications, including problems with blood clotting and kidney function, and a liver transplant is usually the only treatment option.
Is alcohol a major cause of hepatobiliary disease?

Yes. Long-term, heavy alcohol use is a well-established cause of liver cirrhosis, and cutting down or stopping drinking is the main way to prevent alcohol-related liver damage from getting worse.

Related tests and scans

Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) Ultrasound

Find out what an ARFI ultrasound scan is, why it's used to check liver and tendon tissue, and how the scan measures tissue stiffness in the body.

Blood test

At Nuffield Health, we make getting a blood test easy and convenient. Our nationwide network of fully accredited laboratories provides fast and reliable results at competitive prices, wherever you're based in the UK. Whether you have a referral from your consultant or GP or prefer to book your own tests directly, we have an option tailored to your needs.

CT scan (or CAT scan)

A CT scan is used to produce internal cross-sectional images of the body. The images aid the detection of disease and injury, allowing effective treatment planning.

FibroScan

Find out what a FibroScan involves, why it's used to check your liver, how to prepare, what happens during the scan, and what the results mean.

Image guided aspiration and biopsy

Find out what image-guided aspiration and biopsy involves, including why it's used, how to prepare, what to expect, and the possible risks and benefits.

Liver biopsy

A liver biopsy is a procedure where a doctor takes a small sample of tissue from your liver, usually with a special needle. A pathologist (a doctor who examines tissue samples) then looks at the sample under a microscope to check for signs of liver damage or disease.

Liver function tests

Find out what liver function tests measure, why you might need one, how to prepare, what happens, and what the results can and can't tell you.

Related treatments and procedures

Bile duct resection

A guide to bile duct resection for bile duct cancer, covering the types of surgery, preparation, what happens during and after, and possible risks.

Gallbladder removal (Cholecystectomy)

Your gallbladder helps digest fats, but when gallstones block its ducts, they can cause severe pain and inflammation. Our expert surgeons at Nuffield Health can help stop these attacks by gallbladder removal surgery, allowing you to get back to eating and living comfortably.

Liver resection

Liver resection is surgery to remove a diseased section of the liver. It is sometimes called a partial Hepatectomy, which simply means removing part of the liver rather than all of it.

Hepatobiliary Disease