A rare anatomical variation of the biliary tree

Abstract

A 31-year-old woman was admitted to our department in order to undergo a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The operation was converted to open due to cholorrhea during the dissection in the hepatocystic triangle. The cholorrhea came from a transected bile duct, which was 2 mm in diameter, came out of the hepatoduodenal ligament, ran along the common hepatic duct and drained into the cystic duct, in proximity to the neck of the gallbladder. The gallbladder was removed and an intraoperative cholangiography revealed that the aberrant bile duct was originated from the right posterior sectoral duct (RPSD). The RPSD continued its typical course up to its confluence with the right anterior sectoral duct and the formation of the right hepatic duct. This is a rare type of aberrant bile duct, which is added to the long catalogue of the anatomical variations of the biliary tree.

Frequency of Anatomical Variations and Congenital Anomalies in Pancreatobiliary Tract through Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography

“…Surgeon's knowledge of normal pancreaticobiliary anatomy with its abnormalities is useful for identifying and differentiating them between structures involved during surgery. Lack of proper knowledge may lead to trauma, biliary leak, division or ligation of the major bile duct 6 .…”