Abstract
Choledochocele was first described as a cystic dilatation of the intramural segment of the common bile duct protruding into the duodenal lumen in 1940. However, no definitions in detail have been discussed and the etiology remained unclear. We studied retrospectively 5,500 cases of ERCP and discussed about analogous cystic diseases to choledochocele as follows ; cases with a dilated the common channel whose diameter was under 1 cm (dilated common channel syndrome) , diverticular protrusion of the distal common bile duct whose diameter was as small as 5 mm, dilatation of opening of the main pancreatic duct (pancreatocele) , associated with choledocholithiasis or after stone extraction, associated with pancreaticobiliary maljunction. Criteria of choledochocele should be made including the minimum diameter, congenital or acquired, concepts of dilated common channel and pancreatocele, and relationship to pancreaticobiliary maljunction.
