Choledochal cysts are rare. The cause of choledochal cysts is unknown, but they are congenital, that is, present from birth, and, therefore, represent ...DefinitionWhatisacholedochalcyst?Symptoms&SignsWhatarethesigns,symptoms,andcomplicationsofcholedochalcysts?DiagnosisHowdomedicalprofessionalsdiagnosecholedochalcysts?TreatmentWhatisthetreatmentforcholedochalcysts?CenterCholedochalCystCenterCommentsPatientComments:CholedochalCysts-ExperiencePatientComments:CholedochalCysts-SymptomsPatientComments:CholedochalCysts-TreatmentMoreFindalocalGastroenterologistinyourtownWhatisacholedochalcyst?ReadersComments6ShareYourStoryPictureoftheliver,gallbladder,andstomachBilethatisproducedintheliverflowsthroughincreasinglylargerchannels(ducts)withintheliverandfinallyintoevenlargerductsthatleavetheliver,passthroughthesubstanceofthepancreas,andthenemptyintotheduodenum.Acholedochalcystisacyst(hollowoutpouching)ofthebileducts.Choledochalcystshavebeenclassifiedintoseveraldifferenttypesdependingonwheretheyarelocatedandwhethertheycanbeseenasseparatestructuresfromtheducts(diverticulum-like);orwhethertheycanbeseenasalocalizeddilation(enlargement)oftheducts.Choledochalcystsarerare.Thecauseofcholedochalcystsisunknown,buttheyarecongenital,thatis,presentfrombirth,and,therefore,representdevelopmentalabnormalitiesofthebileductsinthefetus.Whatarethesigns,symptoms,andcomplicationsofcholedochalcysts?ReadersComments4ShareYourStoryIninfants,choledochalcystsusuallyleadtoobstructionofthebileductsandretentionofbile.Thisleadstojaundiceandanenlargedliver.Iftheobstructionisnotrelieved,permanentdamagemayoccurtotheliver-scarringandcirrhosis-withthesignsofportalhypertension(obstructiontotheflowofbloodthroughtheliver)andascites(fluidaccumulationintheabdomen).Thereisanincreasedriskofcancerinthewallofthecyst.Inolderindividuals,choledochalcystsaremorelikelytocauseabdominalpainandintermittentepisodesofjaundiceandoccasionallycholangitis(inflammationwithinthebileductscausedbythespreadofbacteriafromtheintestineintotheb