Angioleiomyoma of the common bile duct

An 80-year-old woman with angioleiomyoma in the common bile duct is described. Apart from weakness and jaundice, the patient had no signs or symptoms until after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, when cholangitis and septicaemia due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa developed. X-ray during endoscopy revealed a tumour obstructing the common bile duct and was assumed to be malignant. Because the patient was so old and her general condition had deteriorated, no treatment was given. Autopsy revealed a benign angioleiomyoma of the common bile duct and suppurative cholangitis, the latter obviously caused by the endoscopy.