jaundice

jaundice A yellowish staining of the skin and whites of the eyes (sclerae) with bilirubin, the pigment found in bile. Jaundice can be an indicator of liver or gallbladder disease, or it may result from the rupture of red blood cells (hemolysis). In newborn babies it is usually, but not always, a normal condition. Also known as icterus. See also jaundice, hemolytic; jaundice, hepatocellular; jaundice, neonatal; jaundice, obstructive; kernicterus; spherocytosis, hereditary.