Influence of age and biliary lithiasis on the diameter of the common bile duct

• Published in: Gastroentérologie clinique et biologique Vol. 19; no. 2; p. 156
• Main Authors: Barthet, M, Spinoza, S, Affriat, C, Berthezene, P, Sahel, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: French
• Published: France 01.02.1995
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; Cholelithiasis - diagnostic imaging; Cholelithiasis - pathology; Common Bile Duct - anatomy & histology; Common Bile Duct - diagnostic imaging; Common Bile Duct - pathology; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Reference Values; Regression Analysis
• ISSN: 0399-8320

To determine the influence of age and biliary lithiasis in the dilatation of the biliary ducts, a retrospective analysis was performed of the cholangiograms obtained by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in patients presenting or with a past-history of biliary lithiasis and in controls. Among 165 patients, 113 had choledocolithiasis (53 had gallstones, 50 had been cholecystectomized and 10 had no gallstones), 35 had gallstones and 17 had been cholecystectomized for gallstones. The diameter of the main biliary duct was significantly increased in the presence of common bile duct stones (14.0 +/- 4.9 mm), in cholecystectomized patients (11.7 +/- 4.3 mm), in presence of gallstones (9.2 +/- 2.4 mm). The diameter of the biliary ducts was significantly correlated with age in patients (r = 0.27; P = 0.001) and in controls (r = 0.31; P = 0.02). The different factors related to the dilatation of the main biliary duct were classified using a stepwise discriminant analysis: 1: choledocolithiasis, 2: age, 3: cholecystectomy, 4: gallstones. There is a moderate but significant statistical correlation between age and the dilatation of the common bile duct, independent of the presence of biliary lithiasis.