Bile Ducts

About the Bile Ducts

The bile ducts, or biliary tree, are a network of tubes that carry bile from the liver to the small intestine. Tiny bile canaliculi between liver cells drain into progressively larger ducts that join to form the right and left hepatic ducts, which merge into the common hepatic duct. This is joined by the cystic duct from the gallbladder to form the common bile duct, which passes behind the pancreas and usually joins the pancreatic duct before opening into the duodenum at the ampulla of Vater, controlled by the sphincter of Oddi. Gallstones lodging in the common bile duct, called choledocholithiasis, can block bile flow, causing jaundice, and may lead to cholangitis, a serious infection, or pancreatitis. Other diseases of the bile ducts include primary sclerosing cholangitis, primary biliary cholangitis, biliary atresia in infants, and cholangiocarcinoma. ERCP, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, is used to image the ducts and remove stones.