Operative cholangiography: criteria which make exploration of the common bile duct desirable.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the individual criteria and combination of criteria examined by operative cholangiography which make exploration of the common bile duct desirable. The overall accuracy of exploration of the common bile duct (89 per cent) was similar to that of previous series. In the normal group the accuracy of the criteria established by Le Quesne (1960) is confirmed. The most reliable criteria in the abnormal cholangiograms were the presence of single or multiple filling defects in the common bile duct, the absence of free flow of contrast medium into the duodenum and an abnormality of the terminal narrow segment. Measurements to aid assessment of free flow into the duodenum are suggested. In 34 of 40 positive explorations the common bile duct diameter was 14 mm or less; 10 common bile ducts which contained stones were less than 10 mm in diameter. Excess filling of the intrahepatic ducts was often impossible to judge in the abnormal group and was the least valuable criterion. Attention is drawn to the advantage of an immediate radiological report.