Choledochal Cyst : Complications

Comments:
Complications of Choledochal Cyst: Delay in the diagnosis and treatment may result in pancreatitis, cholangitis (due to reflux of pancreatic secretions into the common bile duct), spontaneous perforation, cholelithiasis, secondary biliary cirrhosis, amyloidosis, portal hypertension, and secondary obstruction of extrahepatic bile ducts or duodenum. There is risk of developing carcinoma which is age-related (< 1% risk in the 1st decade, 6.8% in the 2nd decade, and 14.3% in later decades). Most of the cancers are adenocarcinomas; however, squamous cell carcinomas and anaplastic carcinomas have also been reported.

This intraoperative photograph shows an opened choledochocele (type III choledochal cyst). See previous image for another view. Image courtesy of: Dr. James McClenathan, Dept. of Surgery, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ; used with permission.