Surgical jaundice in infants: other than biliary atresia.

After biliary atresia, the lesions responsible for surgical jaundice in the infant are perforation of the common bile duct, choledochal cyst, bile plug syndrome, and miscellaneous congenital lesions in descending order of frequency. Perforation of the common bile duct commonly presents with an insidious onset of bilious ascites and is best treated by simple peritoneal drainage. Choledochal cyst usually presents later in childhood but presents in infancy if obstruction of the biliary tree is complete or near complete. Excision is the treatment of choice. Any condition leading to alteration in bile composition may cause bile plug syndrome. Spontaneous resolution is the rule: occasionally, intraoperative irrigation is necessary. Most miscellaneous lesions lend themselves to operative correction.