Biloma

Definition: What is Biloma?

This is a collection of bile inside your abdomen, which has become surrounded with epithelial cells. These are groups of tightly compressed cells that layers themselves on the external and internal surfaces of the organs of your body and other surfaces in your body. It is also known as a biliary cyst. Although these cysts can happen to anyone the ones who are most at risk are those who have had cholecystectomy procedure or have liver damage. A cholecystectomy is a procedure done to have your gallbladder removed. These at-risk people are usually monitored and checked for any signs of complication before they can become a serious medical issue.

Symptoms

The symptoms that are associated with a biloma vary from person to person. Some may have symptoms of tenderness or abdominal pain while others may experience confusion and have a fever, especially if it becomes infected.

Causes of Biloma

Because they are a collection of bile inside your abdomen, there are two common reasons for you to develop one. It could be from problems with your bile duct or damage to your liver. Bile is a fluid that is produced in your liver and plays a part in your digestive process. The bile duct is what transports the bile.

Diagnosis

To diagnosis a biloma, they will use ultrasound imaging of your abdomen. If there is a deposit of bile, it will show up in the medical imaging. Having an ultrasound done will determine whether any action needs to be done at this point.

Treatment

In some cases of biloma, the problem will resolve on its own by your body reabsorbing the contents, while other times it may need to be drained. This is especially true if it is large and your body cannot clear it by itself or the biloma has become infected. If it is found to be infected the surgeon will drain it by flushing it to make sure that all the material that was infected has been cleared. Depending on the circumstances, the drain may be left in so it can drain while the biloma heals. If it is necessary to drain it, your physician may put you on antibiotics to deal with the infection or prevent it from occurring again. The medication that you take will take care of the growth of microorganism that may take advantage of you having a biloma to get a foothold in your body. If there is swelling and inflammation, the physician may also put you on an anti-inflammatory medication. While the biloma heals, you should rest as much as you can.