Are duodenal diverticula associated with choledocholithiasis?

The results of 250 consecutive ERCP examinations were analysed in order to assess whether or not juxtapapillary duodenal diverticula are associated with choledocholithiasis. Cholangiography showed common bile duct stones in 71 patients of whom 25 (35%) had periampullary diverticula. Clear bile ducts were shown in 99, of whom only 12 had diverticula (12%) (p less than 0.05). After allowing for the differences in age between the two groups, patients with choledocholithiasis were 2.6 times (95% CI: 1.14-5.93) more likely to have a periampullary diverticulum than patients without choledocholithiasis. In the remaining 80 patients, cholangiography was either not successful or not indicated. Further clinical follow up and/or investigation have failed to reveal duct stones in any and only 10 (13%) of these 80 patients had diverticula. Overall, 47 patients had diverticula: 25 (53%) had duct stones, four may have had stones and 18 had none. Three or more years after cholecystectomy 59% of patients with duct stones had diverticula, while only 13% with clear ducts had them. These results show a significant association between periampullary duodenal diverticula and choledocholithiasis.