The common hepatic duct is the first part of the

biliary tract The biliary tract (also biliary tree or biliary system) refers to the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts, and how they work together to make, store and secrete bile. Bile consists of water, electrolytes, bile acids, cholesterol, phospholipids an ...

. It joins the

cystic duct The cystic duct is the duct that (typically) joins the gallbladder and the common hepatic duct; the union of the cystic duct and common hepatic duct forms the bile duct (formerly known as the common bile duct). Its length varies. Anatomy ...

coming from the

gallbladder In vertebrates, the gallbladder, also known as the cholecyst, is a small hollow Organ (anatomy), organ where bile is stored and concentrated before it is released into the small intestine. In humans, the pear-shaped gallbladder lies beneath t ...

to form the

common bile duct The common bile duct (also bile duct) is a part of the biliary tract. It is formed by the union of the common hepatic duct and cystic duct. It ends by uniting with the pancreatic duct to form the ampulla of Vater (hepatopancreatic ampulla). ...

Structure

The common hepatic duct is the first part of the biliary tract. It is formed by the union of the right hepatic duct (which drains bile from the right functional lobe of the liver) and the left hepatic duct (which drains bile from the left functional lobe of the liver). The duct is about 3 cm long. The common hepatic duct is about 6 mm in diameter in adults, with some variation.Gray's Anatomy, 39th ed, p. 1228

Termination

The common hepatic duct typically unites with the cystic duct some 1–2 cm superior to the duodenum and anterior to the right hepatic artery, with the cystic duct approaching the common hepatic duct from the right.

Relations

The right branch of the hepatic artery proper usually passes posterior to the duct, but may rarely pass anterior to it instead.

Histology

The inner surface is covered in a

simple columnar epithelium Simple columnar epithelium is a single layer of columnar epithelial cells which are tall and slender with oval-shaped nuclei located in the basal region, attached to the basement membrane. In humans, simple columnar epithelium lines most organs ...

Variation

Accessory hepatic ducts Around 1.7% of people have additional accessory hepatic ducts that opens into the common hepatic duct. Accessory hepatic ducts may also instead open into the cystic duct or gallbladder. Termination Occasionally, the cystic duct may first run along the right side of the common bile duct for some distance before joining it, or may pass posteriorly around to the common hepatic duct to unite with it from the left side. Rarely, the common hepatic duct and gallbladder join directly (with the cystic duct being absent), leading to illness.

Function

The hepatic duct is part of the

that transports secretions from the liver into the

intestine The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The tract is the largest of the body's systems, after the cardiovascular system. T ...

Clinical significance

Cholecystectomy

The common hepatic ducts carries a higher volume of bile in people who have had their gallbladder removed. The common hepatic duct is an important anatomic landmark during surgeries such as

cholecystectomy Cholecystectomy is the surgical removal of the gallbladder. Cholecystectomy is a common treatment of symptomatic gallstones and other gallbladder conditions. In 2011, cholecystectomy was the eighth most common operating room procedure performed i ...

. It forms one edge of Calot's triangle, along with the cystic duct and the

cystic artery The cystic artery (also known as bachelor artery) is (usually) a branch of the right hepatic artery that provides arterial supply to the gallbladder and contributes arterial supply to the extrahepatic bile ducts. Anatomy The cystic artery usually ...

. All constituents of this triangle must be identified to avoid cutting or clipping the wrong structure.

Cholestasis

A diameter of more than 8 mm is regarded as abnormal dilatation, and is a sign of

cholestasis Cholestasis is a condition where the flow of bile from the liver to the duodenum is impaired. The two basic distinctions are: * obstructive type of cholestasis, where there is a mechanical blockage in the duct system that can occur from a gallston ...

Mirizzi's syndrome

Mirizzi's syndrome Mirizzi's syndrome is a rare complication in which a gallstone becomes impacted in the cystic duct or neck of the gallbladder causing compression of the common hepatic duct, resulting in obstruction and jaundice. The obstructive jaundice can be ca ...

occurs when the common hepatic duct is blocked by

gallstone A gallstone is a stone formed within the gallbladder from precipitated bile components. The term cholelithiasis may refer to the presence of gallstones or to any disease caused by gallstones, and choledocholithiasis refers to the presence of ...

Additional images

File:Biliary system new.svg , Biliary tract File:Abdominal cavity.jpg, Common hepatic duct File:Slide13ffff.JPG, Common hepatic duct File:Bilebladder.png, The portal vein and its tributaries File:Gray1095-gall bladder.png, The gall-bladder and bile ducts laid open

References

External links

* - "Stomach, Spleen and Liver: Contents of the Hepatoduodenal Ligament"
Illustration
{{Authority control Digestive system Hepatology