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Pathogenesis of Biliary Atresia

In Reply.—
 The letter of Esterly is an important one with some significant observations regarding a potential acquired inflammatory and viral etiology of biliary atresia. A marked and progressive inflammatory component of biliary atresia with extensive early round cell infiltration and progressive fibrosis was reported by one of the authors in 1953.1 This observation led to strong recommendations for early operation in biliary atresia.2,3
 It has been suggested that biliary atresia, neonatal spontaneous perforation of the extrahepatic bile ducts, and choledochal cysts may be variants of an acquired infalmmatory process, possibly viral, such as cytomegalovirus, and possibly oncogenic.4