Diagnosis and management of choledochal cysts.

Choledochal cysts are rare disease and of unknown etiology. They are typically a surgical problem of infancy and childhood, but in nearly 20% of the patients the diagnosis is delayed until adulthood. The presentation and therapeutic strategies for choledochal cysts in adult may differ from that of childhood. The surgical management of choledochal cysts in adults is complicated by associated hepatobiliary pathology. Despite the absence of clinical trials, a consensus for the management of choledochal cysts is excision. This review examines the spectrum of hepatobiliary pathology encountered with choledochal cysts and the surgical alternatives for managing choledochal cysts based on review of relevant literature in the English language indexed on MEDLINE.