Anatomical variations of the extrahepatic ducts in dogs: knowledge for surgical procedures.

Variations of the hepatic duct terminal were examined in 50 cadavers of mixed-breed dogs. The hepatic duct was formed by 4 major tributaries in 70% of the dogs and by 3 tributaries in 30% of the dogs. The order of hepatic duct termination, proximal to the gallbladder, was as follows: the duct from the right medial lobe, then the quadrate, then the common duct from the right lateral and caudate lobes and finally the duct from the left lobes in most of the dogs (90%). In only 10% of the dogs, the duct from the quadrate lobe terminated proximal to the duct from the right medial lobe. The length of the cystic duct was more than 5 mm in most dogs (88%). This study showed anatomical variations of the extrahepatic biliary tree and their preoperational imaging. These results may be useful for shortening the operative period and provide basic information for the application of laparoscopic cholecystectomies.