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Choledocholithiasis

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment

Alternative Names:

Gallstone in the bile duct; Bile duct stone; Bile calculus; Biliary calculus

Treatment:

The goal of treatment is to relieve the obstruction in the common bile duct. Surgical removal of the gallbladder and the stones (via either an open procedure or a laparoscopic procedure) is one option. Another possibility is removal of the stones by ERCP and sphincterotomy (an incision into the sphincter muscle of the duct).

Expectations (prognosis):

Bile-duct blockage and infection caused by stones in the biliary tract can be a life-threatening illness. With prompt diagnosis and treatment, the outcome is usually very good.

Complications:

• Biliary cirrhosis
• Cholangitis

Calling your health care provider:

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if abdominal pain with or without fever develops that is not attributable to other causes, if jaundice develops, or if other symptoms suggestive of choledocholithiasis occur.

• Review Date: 11/14/2006
• Reviewed By: Jenifer K. Lehrer, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Frankford-Torresdale Hospital, Jefferson Health System, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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