Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

Overview

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is thought to be an autoimmune disease, in which the body attacks its own cells. The cells attacked in this case are the bile ducts of your liver, which deliver a fluid (bile) to your intestines that is important for digestion. Sometimes these ducts become irritated (inflamed). As the inflammation spreads, primary biliary cirrhosis destroys the bile ducts, which can lead to irreversible scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) and liver failure. A liver transplant is the only cure for primary biliary cirrhosis, but medications can slow the progress of the disease.

Why choose Mayo Clinic for primary biliary cirrhosis

• Experience. Mayo Clinic is one of the leading treatment centers for primary biliary cirrhosis in the United States. You benefit from the experience of specialists who treat more than 900 people each year for primary biliary cirrhosis.
• Latest tests. Mayo Clinic offers the latest diagnostic tests for primary biliary cirrhosis, including magnetic resonance elastography, a noninvasive imaging technique developed at Mayo Clinic.
• Research advances. You have access to the latest diagnosis and treatment advances at Mayo Clinic, which has been conducting research on primary biliary cirrhosis for more than 40 years. Mayo Clinic researchers have made significant contributions to understanding its cause, including helping to find several gene variations that seem to predispose people to primary biliary cirrhosis.
• Excellence in liver transplants. Mayo Clinic has performed more than 5,000 liver transplants with above average survival rates. People with primary biliary cirrhosis who receive transplants have particularly high survival rates — 87 percent after five years in one study of 100 patients.
• Team approach. Liver specialists, radiologists, pathologists and surgeons work together as a team to provide comprehensive and coordinated care for people with primary biliary cirrhosis.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., ranks No. 1 for digestive disorders in the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings. Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., are ranked high performing for digestive disorders by U.S. News & World Report.

Mayo Clinic: Answers you can trust

At Mayo Clinic, we assemble a team of specialists who take the time to listen and thoroughly understand your health issues and concerns. We tailor the care you receive to your personal health care needs. You can trust our specialists to collaborate and offer you the best possible outcomes, safety and service.

Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical institution that reinvests all earnings into improving medical practice, research and education. We're constantly involved in innovation and medical research, finding solutions to improve your care and quality of life. Your doctor or someone on your medical team is likely involved in research related to your condition.

Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care — and trusted answers — like they've never experienced.

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