An attempt to determine surgical indication for biliary atresia by laboratory examination.

To determine the surgical indication of biliary atresia, we analyzed the history, physical findings and laboratory examinations of 90 cases of biliary atresia operated upon at the Second Department of Surgery, Tohoku University Hospital during the past 10 years, from 1963 through 1972 inclusive. A score table from the data of these examinations was made for the determination of surgical indication. According to this score table, all of the patients who showed good excretion of bile took plus score, whereas a half of the patients who showed poor or no excretion of bile took minus score. Although the remaining patients who showed poor excretion of bile took plus score, these cases had some elements for good excretion of bile. From these results, the patients who takes plus score is considered to be a good indication for operation. The score test is of great value for determination of the surgical indication of biliary atresia.