Ectopic Opening of the Bile Duct Into the Duodenal Bulb: Complications of Biliary Drainage

Ectopic opening of the common bile duct is a rare anatomic variant that is associated with increased risk of complications such as cholangitis, peptic ulcer disease, and even cholangiocarcinoma. Ectopic opening of the common bile duct into the duodenal bulb is a rare form of ectopic opening of the common bile duct accounting for 0.1%–2.7% of cases of anomalous biliary drainage. Identification of such pathology is important because of its varied presentation and considerable operative and procedural implications. We report a rare case of duodenal bulb opening of the common bile duct in a patient who presented with cholangitis.