Spontaneous perforation of the common bile duct: report of a case

A case is reported of spontaneous perforation of the common bile duct in a 59-year-old woman. Recurrent episodes of epigastric and right hypochondriac pain over one year culminated in the onset of obstructive jaundice. There were not signs of peritonitis, and laparotomy revealed an abscess surrounding a perforation in the common bile duct just distal to the cystic duct. A cholesterol gallstone was present at the site of perforation. A paracolon bacterium, providence alcalifaciens, was isolated from the abscess. The patient made an uncomplicated recovery after cholecystectomy and drainage of the bile duct.