BACKGROUND: Neonatal Cholestasiswarrants early, accurate and prompt intervention and comprises a wide spectrum of differential diagnosis which present with overlapping features, thus making a diagnosis difficult.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical and laboratory parameters that could aid to differentiate between intrahepatic and extrahepatic neonatal cholestasis.

METHODS: Retrospective and Descriptive study of Neonatal Cholestasis patients who underwent Liver Biopsy and admitted at the Philippine Children's Medical Center from January 2007 to December 2011.

RESULTS: Factors that favor an intrahepatic cause of Cholestasis are ultrasound finding of a normal gallbladder, marked degree of giant cell transformation and presence of extramedullary hematopoiesis. Factors that favor an Extrahepatic cause of Cholestasis are presence of Splenomegaly, markedly elevated GGT, and histopathology findings of Portal and Periportal Ductal proliferation, bile plugs, lesser degree of giant cell transformation, septal fibrosis and cirrhosis, portal and neoductular cholestasis, and Portal-Portal bridges.

CONCLUSION: In this study, meticulous history and physical examination aid in the diagnosis of Neonatal Cholestasis. Splenomegaly and markedly elevated serum GGT are suggestive of Biliary Atresia, and a normal Gallbladder by Ultrasound favors Neonatal Hepatitis. Although there is significant overlap of histopathologic findings of patients with neonatal cholestasis, certain parameters favor an extrahepatic over an intrahepatic process.

Human ; Cholestasis