Choledocholithiasis doesnt have symptoms unless a stone blocks the duct.
In that case, it becomes a potentially life-threatening condition that requires treatment, usually with surgery.
Its possible to have choledocholithiasis without knowing it and without it posing a risk to your health.
Alona Siniehina / Getty Images
Symptoms appear when a gallstone blocks the common bile duct.
The risk of an attack is about 1% to 2% per year.
Causes
Choledocholithiasis happens when gallstones appear in the common bile duct.
People who have gallstones are more likely to develop choledocholithiasis as they get older.
These include:
Choledocholithiasis can occur even in people who have had their gallbladder removed.
Diagnosis
If youre having symptoms of a gallbladder attack, you should seek immediate medical care.
In addition to observing your symptoms, your healthcare provider will order tests to confirm choledocholithiasis.
Choledocholithiasis is the condition that comes up whenever gallstones are in the common bile duct.
About 14% of people with cholelithiasis will develop choledocholithiasis.
The surgeries used to treat choledocholithiasis are:
Prognosis
The prognosis for choledocholithiasis is very good.
After recovery from surgery most people with choledocholithiasis return to their normal state of health.
Summary
Choledocholithiasis pops up if gallstones are in the common bile duct.
The stones might move to the duct from the gallbladder, or form directly in the common bile duct.
Because of that, even people who have had their gallbladder removed can have choledocholithiasis.
Choledocholithiasis doesnt require treatment unless you have symptoms of a gallbladder attack.
Baiu I, Hawn MT.Gallstones and biliary colic.JAMA.
Tanaja J, Lopez RA, Meer JM.Cholelithiasis (archived).
In: StatPearls [Internet].
Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.
McNicoll CF, Pastorino A, Farooq U, et al.Choledocholithiasis.
[Updated 2023 Jul 10].
In: StatPearls [Internet].
Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.
