DUODENAL DIVERTICULA AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO AGE, SEX, AND BILIARY CALCULI

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 16  (1) , 103-107
Abstract
The relationship between duodenal diverticula and age, sex and biliary calculi was studied prospectively in 624 patients examined with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The incidence of biliary calculi was apparently significantly higher in patients with diverticula (86%) than in patients without diverticula (38%). The difference was significant in all age groups above 40 yr (P < 0.01). The rate of diverticula found near the papilla of Vater was significantly higher in patients with biliary calculi than in patients without (P < 0.01). A positive correlation was found between age and diverticula but not between sex and diverticula. An insufficient papillary sphincter together with an ascending bacterial infection is discussed as a possible explanation for the higher incidence of biliary calculi in patients with duodenal diverticula.