Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Episode overview

Primary sclerosing cholangitis can look quiet at first, but it carries major shelf-level consequences. If you see a young man with cholestatic labs, pruritus, and ulcerative colitis, this is the diagnosis you need to catch. In this episode of Surgery Shelf Prep, we break down the classic presentation of primary sclerosing cholangitis, why magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography is the key test, and how to separate it from primary biliary cholangitis, autoimmune hepatitis, and other causes of jaundice. We also cover the highest-yield complications, including ascending cholangitis, cholangiocarcinoma, cirrhosis, fat-soluble vitamin deficiency, and the increased colon cancer risk seen with inflammatory bowel disease.