Surgical significance of the histopathology of the common bile duct

Silver biopsies of the common bile duct were obtained from 15 patients with clinical and surgical evidence of cholangitis. The most pronounced histologic changes were edema, congestion, and marked mucous gland hypertrophy and hyperplasia. No ulceration, intramural abscess, or areas of necrosis were found. Clinical cholangitis is not associated with necrotizing changes in the duct wall. This fact is the histologic basis for satisfactory healing of choledochal enteric anastomoses performed in the presence of cholangitis.