Choledochocele as a cause of recurrent pancreatitis.

A patient with recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis found to be caused by the presence of a choledochocele is presented. Transhepatic cinecholangiography revealed a choledochocele receiving the terminations of the common bile duct and pancreatic duct, which emptied via a pinpoint opening into the duodenum. With duodenal peristalsis, the contrast material filling the choledochocele could be seen refluxing into the pancreatic duct. A discussion of the possible etiologies of choledochoceles and a review of the existing literature is presented.