A patient reports to his physician that he has been experiencing some digestive discomfort for the past several weeks.Upon examination the doctor notices that the patient has a high level of fatty acids in his blood as well as a slight yellowish tinge to his skin.What is the most likely scenario for why thus patient is showing these symptoms?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Obstructive jaundice often occurs when crystals of cholesterol precipitate out of the bile and form gallstones.If the gallstone blocks the common bile duct it will prevent bile from entering the duodenum and digesting the nutrients.This would help explain the digestive discomfort the patient has been experiencing for the past several weeks.Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin due to an abnormally large quantity of bile pigments in the blood.If the pigments cannot discharge into the duodenum then they can remain in the bloodstream causing the yellowing of the skin.

A Patient Reports to His Physician That He Has Been