Inflammation of the bile ducts, usually caused by infection or bile duct obstruction; can be life-threatening if untreated.
From 'cholan-' (bile duct: Greek 'chole' bile + 'angi' vessel/duct) + '-itis' (inflammation). A shortened, more commonly used form of cholangioitis.
Cholangitis is one of those medical emergencies that doctors feared before antibiotics—now it's treatable, but the name itself ('bile duct inflammation') comes from an era when the description was all they could do.
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