The common bile duct: size, course, relations

The common bile duct may present a number of anatomical peculiarities regarding its size, course and relations, which should be taken into consideration by the anatomists and by the surgeons as well, during the surgery of the gallbladder, pancreas and duodenum. In the present study, we have analyzed the anatomical peculiarities of the common bile duct in 150 adult corpses of both sexes from the Anatomy Department and 22 human fetuses from the Pathology Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca.

Loss of the major duodenal papilla results in brown pigment biliary stone formation in pdx1 null mice

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Pdx1 plays a pivotal role in pancreas organogenesis and specification of some types of cells in the duodenum and antral stomach. However, its expression is not restricted to pancreas, duodenum, and antral stomach but is also found in the common bile duct during embryogenesis. This study aimed to elucidate the role of Pdx1 in the development of the common bile duct, major duodenal papilla, and duodenum.

METHODS

Expression pattern of pdx1 during embryogenesis and the morphology of the common bile duct, major duodenal papilla, and duodenum in pdx1 null mice were analyzed.

RESULTS

The major duodenal papilla, peribiliary glands, and mucin-producing cells in the common bile duct were not formed in pdx1 null mice. Pdx1 null mice had shorter periampullary duodenal villi than wild-type mice at postnatal stages associated with reduced cell proliferation and increased apoptosis of the duodenal epithelial cells. Loss of the major duodenal papilla allowed duodeno-biliary reflux and bile infection, resulting in the formation of brown pigment biliary stones in pdx1 null mice, and antibiotics treatment significantly reduced the incidence of biliary stone formation.

CONCLUSIONS

Pdx1 is required for proper development of the major duodenal papilla, peribiliary glands, and mucin-producing cells in the common bile duct and for maintenance of the periampullary duodenal epithelial cells during perinatal period. Bile infection because of loss of the major duodenal papilla plays a significant role in the formation of brown pigment biliary stones in pdx1 null mice.

Benign anatomical mistakes: "ampulla of Vater" and "papilla of Vater"

The anatomy of the ampullary termination of the bile and pancreatic ducts is complex; appropriate terminology for this area is confusing and inaccurate. We examine the terms "ampulla of Vater" and "papilla of Vater" for anatomical and historical correctness. The term "ampulla" refers to a dilated part of a duct or other channel. Thus, this word is topographically correct to describe the dilatation at the confluence of the bile and main pancreatic ducts; historically, however, there is considerable reason to believe that its first description was by Santorini rather than Vater. The eponymous term "papilla of Vater" is also incorrect historically. The use of eponyms is firmly entrenched in the medical literature, but some are so problematic that they should be discarded. The eponymous terms for both the ampulla and the papilla should be replaced with the terms "hepatopancreatic ampulla" (or "biliaropancreatic ampulla") and "major [or "greater"] duodenal papilla," respectively.

Anomalous pancreatic duct anatomy, ectopic distal location of the papilla of Vater and congenital biliary dilatation: a new developmental triad?

BACKGROUND

The opening of the papilla of Vater represents the orifice of the embryonic hepatic diverticulum from which the ventral pancreas, common bile duct, and liver are derived. Recently, we found a strong association between congenital biliary dilatation (CBD), certain types of pancreatic ductal anatomy (PDA), and ectopic distal location of the papilla of Vater which prompted us to study the relationship between the location of the papilla of Vater and abnormal PDA.

METHODS

A total of 118 patients with CBD were studied. Cholangiograms documented the presence of pancreaticobiliary malunion (PBMU), the location of the papilla of Vater, and the PDA. Eleven age-matched patients with intermittent jaundice were used as controls.

RESULTS

In the control group, the papilla of Vater was located normally in the descending portion of the duodenum in all cases. In the 118 CBD patients, the papilla of Vater was located normally in 38 (32.2%), but in 80 (67.8%), the papilla was located distal to the descending portion of the duodenum. When the papilla was located distally, the incidences of the specific types of PDA studied were significantly higher than when the papilla was located normally (p<0.01). Pancreatic duct dilatation was also more frequent if the papilla was located distally (28.7%) compared with CBD patients with a normal papilla (7.9%) or normal controls (0%) (both p<0.01). PBMU was present in all CBD patients and absent in all controls.

CONCLUSION

Our study strongly suggests that abnormalities occurring during early embryological development of the hepatic diverticulum are responsible for the association between abnormal PDA and ectopic distal location of the papilla of Vater in CBD.

Ampulla of Vater. Anatomic, embryologic, and surgical aspects

The region of the ampulla of Vater constitutes a complex anatomic and functional entity, the biliopancreaticoduodenal confluence, of which the essentials of this rapid review are the: Variation in site of implantation of the greater duodenal papilla, whereas the relations between the common bile duct and the main pancreatic duct are relatively constant Presence at this site of a weak point in the duodenal wall, commonly the site of mucosal diverticula Interdependence of the parietal duodenal mucosa and the sphincteric system of Oddi Existence of an extramural zone of this sphincter, which should be the only one involved in sphincterotomy Danger of wide excisions of the papilla, which, apart from the risk for hemorrhage, cause a breach of the digestive barrier The ampulla of Vater corresponds to the dilated junction of the common bile duct and main pancreatic duct, if present. The ampulla is an extensive anatomic and functional region that includes not only the choledochopancreatic junction but also the sphincter of Oddi, the whole traversing the duodenal wall to open at the greater duodenal papilla. The chief anatomic features of this biliopancreaticoduodenal junction have been reviewed, forming the basis of techniques of surgical or endoscopic sphincterotomies and localized excisions of vaterian tumors.

[Development of the neural and tissue components of the excretory ducts of the liver, pancreas and Odd's sphincter in human embryogeny]

The development of pancreatic, hepatic, cystic, common bile ducts, the Oddi's sphincter and their nervous apparatus were studied during prenatal human ontogenesis of fetuses and newborns. The process of formation of the nervous apparatus corresponds to the development of tissue structures of the ducts and the sphincter. The distinctions in the organization of nervous elements which are noted in adult humans are laid in the process of embryogenesis. These distinctions are especially pronounced in the structure of nervous plexuses and receptory endings. The nervous apparatus of the Oddi's sphincter region has a complex arrangement. This is the site of concentration of nerve nodules and receptory endings as well as abundant nervous connections between plexuses of the pancreatic head, duodenum and orifice zones of the both ducts. The receptors in nerve nodules and pericellular apparatuses on the bodies of ganglionic neurons were revealed.