Corticosteroid therapy in biliary atresia.

Sixteen patients with biliary atresia had 44 steroid courses for treatment of cholangitis or diminution of bile flow following Kasai hepatic portoenterostomy operations. A "blast" type (high dose/short duration) steroid administration was employed to potentiate the choleretic and anti-inflammatory effect. There was a significant augmentation of bile flow and a reduction in maximum temperature, serum bilirubin, and alkaline phosphatase.