title: Caliber of the common bile duct: effect of cholecystectomy and other factors in a ultrasonographic study of 8534 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the present study was to analyze the effects of different factors impacting the caliber of the common bile duct (CBD) and a comparison of maximum extrahepatic bile duct caliber in patients with and without a history of cholecystectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective data analysis was undertaken of 8534 patients (4480 females; 4054 males; average age: 59.2±18.0 years) with sonographic documentation of bile duct caliber. Maximum intra- and extrahepatic bile duct diameters were studied. The normal maximum diameter of the extrahepatic bile duct was defined as 7 mm. In patients who had undergone prior cholecystectomy, a maximum bile duct diameter<10 mm was considered normal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average maximum diameter of the CBD amounted to 5.3±3.0 mm for the overall collective. In patients who had undergone prior cholecystectomy, maximum CBD diameters in the normal range (<7 mm) were documented in 55%, while larger diameters (>7 mm) were observed in 45%. In the collective of patients without prior cholecystectomy, CBD diameters in the normal range (<7 mm) were found in 81%, with larger diameters observed in only 18.4% of patients. In both subgroups, there was a significant association between age and bile duct diameter (for those with prior cholecystectomy, p=0.0003; without prior cholecystectomy, p<0.0001). No statistically significant influence on CBD diameter was observed for either prior cholecystectomy (p=0.2116) or time interval since cholecystectomy (p=0.3537). Females, both with and without a history of prior cholecystectomy, showed a 1.4-1.5-fold higher risk of exhibiting a CBD diameter>7 mm (for those with prior cholecystectomy, p=0.0485; without prior cholecystectomy, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data show a positive correlation between age and CBD diameter. There was no statistically significant relationship between CBD diameter and prior cholecystectomy, postoperative interval and BMI.
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Klinik für Innere Medizin I, Universität Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kratzer
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Klinik für Innere Medizin I, Universität Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wahl
authors.affiliation: Klinik für diagnostische und interventionelle Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vonend
authors.affiliation: Klinik für diagnostische und interventionelle Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Klinik für Innere Medizin I, Universität Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Öztürk
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Klinik für Innere Medizin I, Universität Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hänle
authors.affiliation: Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, United States.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Klinik für Innere Medizin I, Universität Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seufferlein
authors.affiliation: Klinik für diagnostische und interventionelle Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gräter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002763:Cholecystectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003135:Common Bile Duct / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003137:Common Bile Duct Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult