Glossary of terms

Atresia

Blocked, destroyed, missing

Bile

A yellow/green liquid which is excreted from the liver, stored in the gall bladder and passes into the duodenum to help the digestion of food by breaking down fat.

Biliary Tract

A system of tubes which carries bile from the liver cells, gall bladder and drains into the intestine.

Bilirubin

The breakdown product from old red blood cells. The life of a red blood cell is normally 4 months in adults. In babies it is 2-3 weeks.

Unconjugated bilirubin

The first type of bilirubin produced which is changed into conjugated bilirubin in the liver and excreted in the bile.

CNS

Clinical Nurse Specialist

Hepatic

Refers to the liver

Hyperbilirubinaemia

Abnormally high concentrations of bilirubin in the bloodstream, resulting in jaundice

Jaundice

A condition where the eyes and/or skin become yellow due to an abnormally high level of bilirubin in the blood.

Liver Function Test (LFT)

A blood test which shows how well the liver is working

Page last updated: January 2011