Biliary cystadenoma of the extrahepatic bile ducts: Report of a case and review of the literature

Benign neoplasms of the extrahepatic bile ducts are rare and there have only been thirteen reported cases of cystadenoma. One case of cystadenoma of the common hepatic duct and solitary hepatic cyst is presented here and a total of fourteen cases are reviewed. The patient was a 45 year old woman, who complained of abdominal pain with rigidity, but without jaundice. Ultrasonography of the liver showed a 6 cm cyst of the right lobe. Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography revealed a multilobular cystic mass. At emergency laparotomy, a polypoid multilobular tumor with a stalk was found hanging from the common hepatic duct and was excised. Almost all the patients reported were middle aged woman with jaundice. Preoperative diagnosis was made possible by percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography, endoscopic retrograde cholangiography or ultrasonography. The treatment of choice was complete excision. In three cases, a solitary hepatic cyst accompanied the cystadenoma of the common hepatic duct.