title: Right hepatolithiasis and abnormal hepatic duct confluence: more than a casual relation?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatolithiasis (HL) is a rare disease in Western countries. The aim of our study was to investigate a possible relation between the development of right HL and abnormalities of the hepatic duct confluence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen patients who presented with localized right-sided HL were included in this study. The anatomy of hepatic duct confluence in this group of patients was analyzed and compared with the anatomy of hepatic duct confluence in the general population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Presence of a shift of 1 of the 2 sectorial right ducts was significantly associated with right-sided HL (P = .003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The shift of a sectorial right duct must be considered as one of the anatomic causes of HL. This finding must be considered when surgical treatment of HL is planned.
authors.affiliation: Hopital la Conception, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balandraud
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gregoire
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cazeres
authors.forename: Yves-Patrice
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Le Treut
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006500:Hepatic Duct, Common / Q000002:abnormalities*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged