Cholangiocarcinoma complicating ulcerative colitis.

A case of cholangiocarcinoma complicating ulcerative colitis in a young female Chinese is presented. The interval between the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis and development of bile duct carcinoma was seven years which is relatively short. An irregular stricture of the common bile duct associated with dilatation of the biliary tree and distension of the gallbladder were recognised at endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticogram (ERCP). The clue to the diagnosis was a previous history of chronic diarrhoea. Ulcerative colitis is an uncommon disease in the Chinese population. Cholangiocarcinoma is a recognised uncommon complication.