Liver, Biliary and Pancreatic Disease

What the unit covers

This unit sits in the Gastroenterology and Hepatology strand of Internal medicine, pathology and clinical semiology. It follows the liver, the bile system and the pancreas, mostly at university level.

• Jaundice and bilirubin: the flashcard deck on jaundice, acute, chronic and decompensated liver failure starts with the breakdown of haemoglobin, then moves through pre-hepatic and intrahepatic jaundice.
• Hepatitis: the note on acute hepatitis defines it as short-term, self-limiting inflammation lasting under six months and lists infective causes such as hepatitis A.
• Cirrhosis and its complications: mind maps on ascites, hepatic encephalopathy and portal hypertension sit alongside a cirrhosis flowchart.
• Pancreas and biliary disease: maps on acute pancreatitis and gallstones, plus decks on PSC and PBC.

Where to start

Begin with a broad overview. The Jaundice mind maps give a quick picture of definition, types and causes. Then read the Liver note on hepatitis and the Summary of Features of Viral Hepatitis note, which gives a compact comparison.

Next, move to the flashcard decks on liver function tests and diagnosis, so the results make sense before you reach the diseases.

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a mind map first, such as Cirrhosis or Hepatocellular Carcinoma, and say each branch aloud without looking. Then take a quiz on the same topic. The Clinical biochemistry quiz tests inherited bilirubin disorders such as Crigler-Najjar syndrome, while the Viral hepatitis and Pancreatitis quizzes check the later topics.

Wrong answers show where to go back. Return to the map branch, then repeat the quiz.

For teachers

Teachers can pick a map, deck or quiz and use it as ready-made material for a class or tutorial. Because the resources were made by GoConqr users, it is worth reading through each one first to check it fits your course.

Make it your own

Choose one topic today, such as hepatitis or pancreatitis, and work through its map and quiz. Then write your own flashcards for the points you missed.