[The clinical significance of bile acid metabolism].

Bile acids and their metabolism play an important role in the pathogenesis of many gastro-intestinal diseases such as gallstone formation, biliary fistula, intestinal congestive symptoms, defective function of the terminal ileum, ulcer pathogenesis. The diagnostics has been improved by enzymatic estimation methods of the bile acids in the serum, functional tests and radioactive marking of the bile acids. Principles of causal surgical therapy as well as internal treatment can be derived from this new pathophysiological knowledge.