A duplication of the cystic duct - case report

Extrahepatic biliary system presents with numerous variations. Anatomical knowledge of the cystic duct, common hepatic duct, common bile duct and the surrounding vessels is necessary to avoid iatrogenic ductal injuries and inadvertent complications during biliary surgery. This study reports the presence of duplicated cystic duct in a fifty-year old male cadaver. The gallbladder in this case was single and not duplicated. The additional cystic duct was observed to arise from the neck of the gallbladder just above and parallel to the normal cystic duct. It terminated into the main cystic duct itself. The normal cystic duct also originated from the neck of gall bladder and descended down and joined with the common hepatic duct to form the common bile duct. The vessels related to this biliary ductal system namely the proper hepatic artery and the portal vein were found to be situated normally within the hepatoduodenal ligament.