Changing Concepts of Common Bile Duct Anatomy and Physiology

Abstract

Preliminary evidence shows the possibility of intrinsic activity of the common bile duct and indicates that such activity may be separate from the physiologic activity of the sphincter of Oddi and the duodenal musculature. The suggestion is made that such activity could contribute to the symptomatology in biliary dyskinesia. The evidence comes from histologic studies of the common duct wall, a consideration of the anatomic relationships of the musculature of the sphincter of Oddi and the muscle fibers of the common bile duct wall, and from physiologic studies made through operative cinefluorographic cholangiography with simultaneous pressure tracings.