Biopsy of the common bile duct in calculus cholecystitis.

Biliary tract operations are among the most frequent abdominal surgical procedures in the adult. The indications for surgery, the clinical picture, and the results have been well documented. The pressure dynamics and radiologic aspects of the common bile duct and its anatomical configurations have been well and often described. A review of the literature has revealed no study of the fundamental problem of possible pathological changes in the common bile duct in relation to the diseased gallbladder. This study was undertaken in order to determine if and when the histologic changes in the gallbladder with calculus cholecystitis and its complications are reflected in the common bile duct. During cholecystectomy and choledochotomy, a sliver of the anterior wall of the supraduodenal portion of the common bile duct was removed for biopsy. The opening created at the biopsy site was then used for the insertion of a T tube. There were no