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In contrast to gallstones, which are increasingly diagnosed in children and adolescents, congenital or perinatally acquired malformations of the biliary tree are rare entities. The surgical treatment of these diseases frequently represents a technical challenge. For children with biliary atresia Kasai portoenterostomy is a therapeutic option in the first weeks of life. Most affected children, however, require a liver transplantation before they enter adulthood. Segmental dilatations of the bile duct carry the risk of ascending infections and malignant transformation. This requires early resection of the biliary tree and reconstruction with a bilioenteric anastomosis. While laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become the standard approach also for children, the value of minimally invasive procedures for more complex surgical procedures of the biliary tract has not yet been defined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]