Choledochal cyst: a 33-year review.

We present 13 patients who were seen at Glasgow hospitals over a 33-year period. Only five (38 per cent) were children. Of the eight adults, two had complications of the cyst at presentation, namely biliary cirrhosis and cholangiocarcinoma respectively. Another adult patient developed a carcinoma in the cyst 9 years after internal drainage. The incidence of malignant change in the series was therefore 15 per cent. Only five patients have remained well after surgery: three had complete excision and two internal drainage. Of the eight other patients, one had complete excision, five had internal drainage, one had partial excision and one had cholecystectomy and (years later) sphincterotomy. We believe that excision of the cyst is the treatment of choice.