Ascaris in the common bile duct (a report of 10 cases)

ABSTRACT

Ascaris has been found in a variety of places aside from its usual habitat in the jejunum. Its discovery in the common bile duct is notedA study of 10 cases where ascaris has been found in the common bile duct shows that this condition brings about signs and symptoms that are considered pathognomic and characteristic of a gall bladder disease. That a gall bladder disease is really coexistent with the presence of ascaris in the common bile duct seems to be borne out by the invariable observation that the gall bladder in these cases shows at least a chronic inflammatory condition. A hypothesis is, therefore, advanced to the effect that a pre-existing gall bladder disease is responsible in attracting the ascaris into the common bile duct, or at least makes it possible for the wandering ascaris to penetrate into the biliary system by causing a dysfunction in the sphincter of Oddi which normally would impede such an entrance. It is evident that, in the presence of a gall bladder disease, the removal of the ascaris alone will not cure the disease; the gall bladder disease; the removal of the ascaris alone will not cure the disease; the gall bladder may also have to be removed. (Summary)