[Benign stenosis of Vater's papilla from the pathogenetic viewpoint]

Data and surgical findings recorded from 7,640 primary operations on bile ducts were analysed and were investigated for their relationship with benign stenosis of Vater's papilla. Positive diagnosis of the latter was made in 487 cases (6.3 per cent). Clearly discernible correlations were found to exist between papillary stenosis, on the one hand, and severe chronic inflammation of the gall-bladder and choledocholithiasis, on the other. A relationship between papillary stenosis and advanced age was to some extent suggested by increased occurrence of severe chronic inflammations and choledocholithiasis in higher age groups. Primary stenosis without causative inflammation in the vicinity of the papilla was not recordable from the above surgical cases. The view has been confirmed that benign stenosis is likely to develop as a secondary alteration due to inflammatory processes along with lithiasis.