[The diagnostic value of so-called "post-cholecystectomy bile duct dilatation"]

In 1706 gallstone operations the diameter of the common bile ducts was determined in 990 cases during telecholangiography using a so-called functional cholangiodiametry. The data of 213 postoperative determinations of the common bile duct diameters performed during the follow-up period did not support the existence of a postcholecystectomic compensatoric dilation of the common bile duct. Ultrasound and ERCP failed to find postoperative bile duct dilation in patients without complaints following cholecystectomy and in persons with complaints of extrabiliary origin. In conclusion we found that biliopancreatic and organic reasons (residual calculi, papillary stenosis, bile duct stenosis, chronic pancreatitis) can always be detected as the underlying cause of a significant bile duct dilation.