Abstract
Juxtapapillary diverticula are often associated with biliary lithiasis. The aim of
this study was to compare the prevalence of juxtapapillary diverticula in choledocholithiasis
and in cholecystolithiasis without common bile duct stones. The results of 520 consecutive
retrograde cholangiographies were retrospectively analysed. The prevalence of juxtapapillary
diverticula was higher in patients with biliary lithiasis than in patients without:
26.0 % vs 10.5 % (p < 0.001). However, juxtapapillary diverticula were more frequently
encountered in patients with choledocholithiasis than in those with gallbladder lithiasis
or previous cholecystectomy and a stone-free common bile duct: 40.0 % vs 10.2 % (p < 0.001).
There was no significant difference between the patients with cholecystolithiasis
alone and those without biliary lithiasis. Among the patients with previous cholecystectomy
or with gallbladder lithiasis, common bile duct stones were more frequently found
in patients with juxtapapillary diverticula than in those without: 80.3 % vs 40.6 %
(p < 0.001). These data suggest that juxtapapillary diverticula are associated only
with choledocholithiasis and not with gallbladder lithiasis.
