One duct, two orifices, no names! The anatomy of the biliary cystic duct

Abstract

The biliary cystic duct (CD) connects the gallbladder to the extra-hepatic bile duct, and the point at which it does this delineates the division between the common hepatic duct and the common bile duct (CBD). Its clinical relevance in disease, and importance during interventions relating to the gallbladder mean that its normal and variant anatomy has been described extensively in literature.

However, an aspect not yet fully described includes naming of its two orifices on either end. This is highly relevant for surgical, endoscopic and percutaneous procedures. We describe these as encountered in normal CD and biliary tree anatomy. We believe this is crucial for interventions relating to the gallbladder and the biliary tree, including prevention of iatrogenic injury. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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