Bile leaks are a surgeon's worst nightmare and should be corrected as soon as possible. While minor leaks can be treated with simple drainage, major leaks and bile duct damage necessitate endoscopic or percutaneous drainage with or without surgery. Once the source of the bile leak is removed, the bile duct will close itself. A bile leak is a small amount of blood that comes from between your skin cells and into the area where there is liver tissue (i.e., the abdominal wall). This blood contains proteins that help digest fat in your stomach. Your body is very efficient at removing these proteins through an action called "renal excretion." That is, they are filtered out of the blood by the kidneys and then re-excreted back into the gut via the urine. The most common cause of bile leaks is alcohol consumption. Other causes include cancerous tumors on the liver, trauma to the abdomen, and blockages in any part of the biliary system (which includes the gallbladder, pancreas, and common bile duct). Bile leaks can be either internal or external. Internal leaks occur when parts of the liver or of the bile ducts break down under the pressure of severe scarring or tumor growth. These areas of destruction release enzymes that lead to inflammation and ultimately to leakage.