Carcinoid tumor of the biliary duct

Carcinoid tumors which arise from enterochromaffin cells are usually found in the appendix, ileum, bronchus and rectum. Biliary duct carcinoids are exceedingly rare. Pre-operative diagnosis is very difficult because they mimic the signs and symptoms of choledocholithiasis. We report a case of biliary duct carcinoid. A 38-year-old woman admitted with signs and symptoms of obstructive jaundice. ERCP demonstrated an obstruction in the common bile duct. A choledochotomy T drainage was performed. Histopathologically the mass which was removed from the common bile duct was a carcinoid tumor. There are only nine cases of biliary duct carcinoid in the literature to date. These cases are reviewed.