Study of Variations in the Extrahepatic Biliary System

The present study is confined mainly to the variations seen in the duct system of extrahepatic biliary apparatus in south Indian population. The available reports on similar studies and literatures are mainly based on the study of dissected specimens of south Indian and Western population. The present study reveals that the incidence of accessory hepatic ducts is lesser as compared to western reports and accessory cystic ducts are found in 8% , which is not reported in any other literature. The extrahepatic biliary tree is one of the most common sites of operative intervention and also one of the most frequent areas of anatomic variations. Failure to recognize at operation unusual anatomic relationships or the persistence in to adult life of vestigial ductal structures as accessory ducts may impair the results obtained by the operative treatment of biliary tract disease, either by direct injury to the common duct or by postoperative bile seepage leading to peritonitis, shock, etc contribute to morbidity and mortality.