Biliär

Biliær refers to anything pertaining to the bile system, encompassing the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts and the biochemical composition of bile. In medical terminology the adjective “biliær” is used to describe structures, functions or pathologies that involve the production, transport or excretion of bile, a fluid essential for the digestion and absorption of lipids. Bile is synthesized by hepatocytes and contains bile acids, cholesterol, phospholipids, bilirubin and electrolytes. After secretion into tiny canaliculi, bile drains into the intra‑hepatic bile ducts, converges in the right and left hepatic ducts and is stored in the gallbladder where it is concentrated. During a meal, cholecystokinin stimulates gallbladder contraction and relaxation of the sphincter of Oddi, allowing bile to flow through the common bile duct into the duodenum.

Biliær physiology is closely linked to hepatic metabolism; bile acids facilitate emulsification of dietary fats, aid in the absorption of fat‑soluble vitamins and regulate cholesterol homeostasis through enterohepatic circulation. Disruption of biliary function can lead to a range of conditions collectively termed biliary diseases. Common biliary disorders include cholelithiasis (gallstones), cholangitis (inflammation of the bile ducts), biliary strictures and biliary atresia in infants. Clinical assessment often involves serum liver function tests, imaging such as ultrasonography, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, and, when indicated, endoscopic procedures like ERCP for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Therapeutic management of biliary disorders depends on the underlying cause; options range from pharmacological agents that dissolve cholesterol stones, to endoscopic stone extraction, to surgical interventions such as cholecystectomy or biliary reconstruction. Ongoing research explores the role of bile acid signaling pathways in metabolic disease and the potential of novel agents to modulate biliary function.