Thelansis

  Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic liver disease characterized by bile duct inflammation and fibrosis and strongly associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). There is variability in the extent of involvement of the biliary system. Most patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis have underlying inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. Patients with PSC are more likely to have ulcerative colitis than Crohn's disease (85% versus 15%), with approximately 2.5-7.5% of all ulcerative colitis patients having primary sclerosing cholangitis. In more than 80% of patients, the strictures are located in both the intrahepatic and extrahepatic ducts. However, about 10% of these patients have intrahepatic strictures only, while less than 5% will have only extrahepatic strictures. The majority of people with PSC have no symptoms. These patients are typically diagnosed when abnormal biochemical tests of liver function are detected du...