[Choledocholithiasis in a gallbladder without stones]

In 4 out of 190 patients, who underwent a cholecystectomy, stones were only found in the common bile duct and none in the gallbladder. The radiological data of these 4 patients were retrospectively analysed. In 2/3 patients sonography showed a dilatation of the common bile duct, whereas stones in the common bile duct were shown by IVC in 2/2 patients, ERCP in 3/3 patients and PTC in 1/1 patients. In 1/3 patients also, in whom an ERCP had been performed, stones were suspected in the gallbladder, but could not be verified during cholecystectomy.