title: Biliopancreatic reflux-pathophysiology and clinical implications.
abstract: The common bile duct and the main pancreatic duct open into the duodenum, where they frequently form a common channel. The sphincter of Oddi is located at the distal end of the pancreatic and bile ducts; it regulates the outflow of bile and pancreatic juice. In patients with a pancreaticobiliary maljunction, the action of the sphincter does not functionally affect the junction. Therefore, in these patients, two-way regurgitation (pancreatobiliary and biliopancreatic reflux) occurs. This results in various pathological conditions of the biliary tract and the pancreas. Biliopancreatic reflux could be confirmed by: operative or postoperative T-tube cholangiography; CT combined with drip infusion cholangiography; histological detection of gallbladder cancer cells in the main pancreatic duct; and reflux of bile on the cut surface of the pancreas. Biliopancreatic reflux occurs frequently in patients with a long common channel. Although the true prevalence, degree, and pathophysiology of biliopancreatic reflux remain unclear, biliopancreatic reflux is related to the occurrence of acute pancreatitis. Obstruction of a long common channel easily causes bile flow into the pancreas. Even if no obstruction is present, biliopancreatic reflux can still result in acute pancreatitis in some cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. kamisawa@cick.jp
authors.forename: Terumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamisawa
authors.forename: Masanao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurata
authors.forename: Goro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: Kouji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuruta
authors.forename: Atsutake
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okamoto
mesh_terms: D001649:Bile Duct Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001655:Bile Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D002758:Cholangiography; D006801:Humans; D010179:Pancreas / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D046628:Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed