PURPOSE: Choledochal cysts are cystic or diffuse dilatation of any portion of the biliary tree. An anomalous pancreaticobiliary ductal union (APBDU) is one of the commonly accepted causes of a cholodochal cyst. The ability of MRCP to demonstrate an APBDU has not been established in children and appears to have limited value in demonstrating an associated APBDU. We investigate the usefulness, and application, of MRCP in delineating the cyst type and an APBDU in patients with choledochal cysts, and compared it with operative cholangiography. METHODS: Ten children with choledochal cyst, who had both MRCP and cholangiography, as preoperative diagnostic modalities, at the Division of Pediatric Surgery, Keimyung University, Dongsan Medical Center, between March 1999 and August 2002, were selected for this study. We analyzed and compared their MRCP images with those of the intraoperative cholangiographies, with regard to the type of cyst, size and association of an APBDU. RESULTS: The types of the choledochal cyst, based on the MRCP, were two Ia, three Ic, and five IVa, whereas those based on the operative cholangiographies were one Ic and nine IVa. A common channel was demonstrated by MRCP and operative cholangiography in four (40%) and six (60%) of the ten patients, respectively. Each diagnostic modality correlated with the size (Pearson correlation, P<0.01) and the length of the cyst, but an APBDU on both modalities did not reach statistical significance, even though the common channel was not identified in a large cyst on MRCP. CONCLUSION: MRCP is a noninvasive and safe diagnostic modality for the delineation an APBDU in children with choledochal cysts. However, it has limited value for demonstrating an APBDU in children with a large cyst due to overlapping with the pancreaticobiliary ductal system. Operative cholangiography seems to be more valuable than MRCP in patients with large choledochal cysts.
Biliary Tract ; Child ; Cholangiography ; Choledochal Cyst* ; Diagnosis* ; Dilatation ; Humans

We experienced a case of congenital choledochal cyst in a 6 months old korean female infant with complaints of abdominal distension, jaundice, loose stool and a large mass of the abdomenin the right upper quadrant since about 3 months prior to admission. The diagnosis was confirmed by clinical symptoms and signs, physical examination, radiological findings and surgical findings. She was operated with good result and discharged in well condition 28 days after. The review of the related literature was made briefly.
Choledochal Cyst* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Jaundice ; Physical Examination

Humans ; Infant ; Biliary Atresia/diagnosis* ; Choledochal Cyst/diagnosis* ; RNA, Circular ; Diagnosis, Differential

Choledochal cyst has only rarely been encountered in association with pregnancy. The clinical manifestations are nonspecific and variable that makes it difficult to differentiate from physiologic changes in pregnancy. Consequently, diagnosis is often delayed until patients present with life-threatening complications. During pregnancy, symptoms of choledochal cyst may be developed by hormonal changes and the enlarged uterus. Because of the risk of fetal mortality and maternal morbidity, definitive surgical treatment should be delayed and step-by-step management should be carefully implemented to avoid complication until delivery. Herein, we report a case of enlarged, symptomatic choledochal cyst that developed in a 26-year-old pregnant woman. The temporal relationship between pregnancy and symptom development, as well as the biliary sludge formation in the enlarged cyst, suggest that the choledochal cyst was influenced by pregnancy. In order to buy time for fetal maturation, endoscopic ultrasonography-guided choledochoduodenostomy was performed for biliary decompression as a bridge to surgical excision.
Adult ; Bile ; Choledochal Cyst* ; Choledochostomy* ; Decompression ; Diagnosis ; Endosonography ; Female ; Fetal Mortality ; Humans ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Uterus

PURPOSE: The level of bile amylase in a choledochal cyst varies although the theory of pancreaticobiliary reflux through an anomalous pancreaticobiliary duct union (APBDU) is widely accepted as a cause of choledochal cysts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics of choledochal cysts according to the level of bile amylase in the cyst. METHODS: During the last 17 years, 59 pediatric choledochal cyst patients were surgically treated at the division of Pediatric Surgery, Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center. Of those patients, 42 in whom the level of bile amylase in the cyst was measured at operation were included in this study. The age, duration clinical findings, anatomical types and the types of Anomalous pancreaticobiliary duct union (APBDU) were analyzed after subdividing the patients into 3 groups according to the bile amylase activity in their cysts: group N, <100 U/L, group 1, 100 U/L~0, 000 U/L, and group 2, >10, 000 U/L. RESULTS: The mean ages in groups 1, 2, and N were 5.0+/-4.7 years, 6.2+/-3.7, and 1.7+/-2.4 years, respectively with group 2 being the eldest (P=0.005). Eighty percent of group 2 had long histories of symptom duration (longer than 1 month), with recurrent abdominal pain and/or hospitalization and the diagnosis of pancreatitis, which was also higher than the 37 and 42% in groups N and 1, respectively (P=0.038). Jaundice and an abdominal mass were the predominant symptoms in the group N, whereas abdominal pain, jaundice and vomiting were predominant in the groups 1 and 2. According to the Todani's classification, the incidence of type IV was higher than type I in all groups, with the ratio of 1: 2. According to the Komi's classification of the APBDU, the incidence of Komi I and II in groups 1 and 2 were similar, with the ratio of 1: 2. CONCLUSION: The level of bile amylase in choledochal cysts was significantly higher with advancing age, especially in patients having a long history of recurrent attacks of abdominal pain and pancreatitis. However, there were no significant difference among the 3 groups with respect to the anatomical cyst type and type of APBDU. Therefore, further studies are necessary to determine the correlation between the cyst type and the pathogenesis and pathophysiology, and the see if choledochal cysts have a close relationship with APBDU and pancreatitis.
Abdominal Pain ; Amylases* ; Bile* ; Choledochal Cyst* ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Incidence ; Jaundice ; Pancreatitis ; Vomiting

In the past few years a wide variety of fetal abnormalities have been successfully prenatal diagnosed by maternal sonography. Early excision of the choledochal cyst in the newborn is considered to be the optimal treatment and may pose less risk to the patient than delayed surgical exploration. We present a new case diagnosed a choledochal cyst at 23 weeks gestation by routine ultrasound scanning. At 38 weeks gestation a female infant was born by spontaneous delivery. At 7 weeks of age the patient underwent a laparotomy performed cyst excision with Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. We experienced a case of choledochal cyst at prenatal sonography and report our case with a brief review of literature.
Choledochal Cyst* ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Laparotomy ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis* ; Ultrasonography

Choledochal cyst is a dilation that encloses the intrahepatic or both extra- and intrahepatic portions of the biliary ducts. Postnatally, ultrasonography is the initial diagnostic modality of choice, allowing for precise measurements of intra- or extrahepatic duct dilatation and identification of stones and sludge. Symptoms depend on the age at presentation. Common bile duct malformations should be considered as a differential diagnosis of a cystic mass regardless of the cyst's size or patient's age, especially in children presenting with abdominal pain, jaundice, and palpable mass. To the best of our knowledge, we report the largest choledochal cyst in infancy.
Abdominal Pain ; Child ; Choledochal Cyst* ; Common Bile Duct ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dilatation ; Humans ; Infant ; Jaundice ; Sewage ; Ultrasonography

Choledochal cysts are rare congenital anomalies which are principally diagnosed by disproportional dilatation of the extrahepatic bile ducts. In addition, choledochal cysts are believed to arise from the anomalous union of the common bile duct and pancreatic duct outside the duodenal wall which is also proximal to the sphincter of the Oddi mechanism. The various types of choledochal cysts have been classified on the basis of these anomalous unions (Komi classification) and their anatomical locations (Todani classification). The multidetector computed tomography with reformatted imaging, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, and an endoscopic retrograde cholangiography represent the important techniques providing the anatomical resolution and detail required to properly diagnose and classify choledochal cysts and their associated abnormal features of the biliary tree, as well as their pancreaticobile duct union. This study describes the various imaging features of a choledochal cyst in adults according to the various types of anomalous unions of the pancreaticobile duct according to Komi's classification and anatomic location according to Todani's classification. Lastly, we also review and discuss the associated abnormal findings developed in biliary systems.
Adult ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance ; Choledochal Cyst/classification/*diagnosis ; Humans ; Pancreatic Ducts/abnormalities

Follow-up sonographic studies of three infants, whose initial sonograms showed findings suggestive of choledochal cyst, demonstrated disappearance of cystic dilatation of the common bile ducts. The phenomena could be accounted for by acute common bile duct obstruction secondary to bile sludge. Bile plug syndrome should also be included in the differencial diagnosis. When a cystic or fusiform dilatation of the common bile duct is seen on sonogram. Conservative management must be the choice of approach unless the finding is proven to unchanged over a period of time and irreversible.
Bile ; Choledochal Cyst ; Common Bile Duct* ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant* ; Sewage ; Ultrasonography

Choledochal cyst of the common bile duct is usually considered to be large cystic dilatation that extends from the wall of the common bile duct. Choledochal cyst is a very rare cond.ition in adult, These cysts are commonly distinctive in childran under the age of ten. Even in this age group they are considered rare. The classicajl triad of a choledochal cyst inclule pain, jaundice and a palpable right upper quadrant mass. This triad was found in only 21~63% and the most common finding is jaundice. Diagnoais of choledochal cyst usually is made during laparotomy, In nonjaundiced patients, oral cholangiogram and/or intravenous cholangiogram may yield the diagnosis. In jaundiced patiente where the diagnosis may be more difficult to make, one may consider doing ERCP and/or percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram. The percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram seems to be very helpful in diagnosing jaundiced patients. It is being used more and more in recent years but this method is not without complication. With advent of ERCP, visualization of the biliary tree has become a simple procedure when performed by expert endoscopists. To our knowlege, no previous case of choledochal cyst diagnosed by ERCP has been reported. yet in our country This paper reports 4 cases of choledochal cyst diagnosed by ERCP.
Adult ; Biliary Tract ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde* ; Choledochal Cyst ; Common Bile Duct ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Laparotomy