What happens in an obstructive disorder?

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An obstruction blocks the drainage pathway of bile, so the outflow is impeded rather than increasing or continuing normally. Bile is still produced by the liver, but because its passage is blocked, it cannot reach the intestine. This leads to a buildup known as cholestasis, with bile accumulating in the liver and ducts. That’s why the statement that bile flow is blocked best describes an obstructive disorder. In practice, you’d expect a cholestatic pattern on labs (elevated alkaline phosphatase and direct bilirubin) and ultrasound signs such as dilation of the intrahepatic ducts (and often the common bile duct) upstream of the obstruction.