ABSTRACT
The acutely jaundiced patient is a common problem for the practicing gastroenterologist. Rapid assessment, diagnosis and treatment are especially important in this group of patients as delays may result in significant morbidity and mortality. It is important to differentiate the patients with acute onset of jaundice from those with chronically deranged liver function tests (LFTs). This latter group can be more effectively investigated in a conventional outpatient setting and are covered in Chapter 7.
