What is sclerosing cholangitis?

A chronic, progressive inflammatory process of the biliary tree of unknown etiology that slowly damages the bile ducts, results in strictures. This causes bile to accumulate in the liver, where it gradually damages liver cells and in most cases, leads to cirrhosis, fibrosis of the liver. As cirrhosis progresses and the amount of scar tissue in the liver increases, the liver slowly loses its ability to function. The scar tissue may block drainage of the bile ducts leading to infection of the bile. INCIDENCE 2:1 male predominance with median age of onset at 40 years Seventy percent of patients with sclerosing cholangitis have Inflammatory Bowel Disease, whereas 3 to 7.5% of patients with IBD have sclerosing cholangitis