Abstract
Diameter of the common bile duct was measured in 3,119 patients who underwent primary operation for gallstones, during the period from 1975 to 1978. Although dilatation of the common bile duct was most marked in patients with bilirubin stones in the bile duct alone, dilatation was also observed in patients with cholesterol stones in the gallbladder alone. Drip infusion cholangiograms of 84 healthy patients showed that the common bile duct dilated in parallel with aging. A review of patients with congenital choledochal cysts reported in the literature in Japan revealed that few had gallstones. Thus, it was difficult to determine whether common bile duct dilatation was the cause or result of gallstones, and it was suggested that the socalled drainage operation such as choledochoenterostomy should be done only under strict indications.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Flanigan, D.P.: Biliary cysts. Ann. Surg 182: 635, 1975.
Longmire, W.P., Magiola, S.: Nonobstructive dilatation of the common duct. Surg Clin N Amer. 50: 1099, 1970.
Madden, J.L., Vanderheyden, L., Kandalaft S.: The nature and surgical significance of common duct stones. SGO 126: 3, 1968.
Maki, T.: Pathogenesis of calcium bilirubinate gallstone: role of E. coli, β-glucuronidase and coagulation by inorganic ions, polyelectrolytes and agitation. Ann. Surg, 164: 90, 1966.
Matsumoto, Y., Uchida, K., Nakase et al., Congenital cystic dilatation of the common bile duct as a cause of primary duct stones. Amer. J. Surg., 134: 346, 1977.
Nagase, M., Setoyama, Hikasa, Y.: Recurrent common duct stones, with special reference to primary common duct stones. Gastroenterologica Japonica. 13: 290, 1978.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Visiting Scholar at Kyoto University, on leave from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and supported in part by U.S. National Institutes of Health Grant AM 16549.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nagase, M., Hikasa, Y., Soloway, R.D. et al. Surgical significance of dilatation of the common bile duct—With special reference to choledocholithiasis. The Japanese Journal of Surgery 10, 296–301 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02468791
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02468791