Abstract:
Abstract
Background: Common bile duct (CBD) is formed by the union of the cystic duct to the
common hepatic duct at various location. It transports bile from the liver to the duodenum and
back to the gallbladder if the sphincter of oddi is closed. The CBD is a normal distensible
structure composed of fibro-elastic tissue with little or no muscular support. The size of the CBD
is a predictor of biliary obstruction and, therefore, its measurement is an important component of
biliary system evaluation.
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the normal CBD diameter and assess its
association with age, sex, and anthropometry.
Methods and Materials: Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted to
determine the normal range of CBD diameter and associated factor at the University of Gondar
Comprehensive Specialized Hospital and one private imaging center in Gondar town. The data
were entered into an Epi-info version 7.2.0.1, exported and analyzed using SPSS Statistics
software version 20. In bivariable linear regression variables with p-value, less than 0.2 were
selected for multi-variable analysis and in multivariable linear regression analysis variables with
P-Value less than 0.05 were considered as statistically significant.
Results: A total of 206 subjects comprising 93(45.1%) male and 113(54.9%) female with
mean age, height, weight, body mass index of 39.4year, 1.63 meter, 57.8 Kg, and 21.6 Kg/m²,
respectively were studied. Of the study participants, 86 (41.7%) were from rural and 120(58.3%)
were from urban. The mean CBD diameter was 3.64 mm with 95% CI (3.52, 3.77). CBD
diameter significantly associated with age along the linear trend. The mean diameter of the CBD
in rural area was greater than those subjects living in urban area. There was no statistically
significant difference in CBD diameter between male and female subject. The diameter of the
CBD hardly demonstrated a significant association with anthropometric measurement.
Conclusion: The present study revealed that the age of the study subjects had a statistically
significant association with the diameter of the CBD and it was progressively increased from the
lower age group onward along with a linear trend. The diameter of the CBD did not show
statistically significant association with the anthropometric measurement.
Keyword; Common bile duct, Common bile duct diameter, Ethiopia, Ultrasound
