title: Congenital choledochal cysts.
abstract: Cystic dilation of the common bile duct is a rare congenital anomaly. The cases of two patients, 2 1/2 and 18 years old, respectively, illustrate the difficulty in preoperative diagnosis, as well as the value of long-term postoperative follow-up. Ascending cholangitis developed in one of the patients after a Roux-en-Y cystojejunostomy nine years after operation. A follow-up of three years after cystoduodenostomy and 14 years after a hepaticojejunostomy is reported. In infants and small children, a cystoduodenostomy is usually done; otherwise, cystojejunostomy should be the preferred initial operation. Excision may be attempted if the cyst is very small, and in selected cases.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003135:Common Bile Duct / Q000002:abnormalities*; D003560:Cysts / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans