COMMON BILE DUCT ASCARIASIS

Objective: To assess the advantage of palpation of CBD during exploratory laparotomy in patients with acute abdomen.Material and Methods: A prospective study was conducted from July 1998 till December 2002 at Tehsil Head Quarter Hospital Matta, District Swat, Saidu Group of Hospitals Swat and DHQ Hospital Timergara District Dir Lower. Eleven patients, 5 male and 6 female (mean age 9.8+2.6 years) were included in this study. All the operations were performed under general anaesthesia.Results: Four patients were diagnosed preoperatively by abdominal ultrasonography and subjected to operative extraction of worms on next operation list. Seven patients presented with acute abdomen and turned out to have biliary ascariasis on palpating the CBD during exploratory laparatomy. T tube was inserted in 10 patients to drain the CBD, while in one patient primary repair was done. Their postoperative course was smooth and uneventful.Conclusion: Biliary ascariasis though not a common problem must be considered as a possibility in patients presenting with acute abdomen in endemic areas especially when no other cause for the patientʹs symptoms is apparent.