Choledocal cyst: never let your guard down

Bile duct cyst is a congenital dilation of the bile duct. Clinical presentation is non-specific and often poses a diagnostic dilemma. It should be highly suspected in cases of jaundice, abdominal pain and a palpable abdominal mass. An imaging study is essential for diagnosis, an ultrasound being the most suitable initially. It can present multiple complications, including cholangitis, pancreatitis, cholangiocarcinoma, biliary and hepatic cirrhosis. For its management, resection of the cyst is recommended to avoid complications and reduce the risk of malignancy.

Long-term follow-up with annual ultrasound scans and tests is recommended, as the risk of malignancy remains high even after excision of the cyst. The optimal approach to this pathology requires a multidisciplinary perspective, starting from the diagnostic suspicion that will often come from Primary Care services, and including also gastroenterologists, surgeons, pathologists and radiologists.