Aberrant bile duct communicating with the cystic duct:From early detection to management of late surgical complications

The aberrant hepatic duct is classified by Huang et al.[1]into type A(right intrahepatic duct variant)and type B(left intrahepatic duct variant).Type A and B are further classified into 5(A1-5)and 6(B1-6)subtypes,respectively.The variation of cystic duct involves only in type A.Type A1 or classic arrangement refers to the formation of the common hepatic duct(CHD)by the left hepatic duct(LHD)and the right hepatic duct(RHD).The RHD has two tributaries composed of the right anterior hepatic duct(RAHD)and the right posterior hepatic duct(RPHD).Then,the common bile duct(CBD)is formed when the cystic duct joins with the CHD(Fig.1).Type A2 refers to the RAHD and RPHD joining with LHD at hepatic hilum,and the absence of the RHD.Type A3 refers to the RAHD or RPHD directly draining to the LHD.Type A4 refers to the RAHD or RPHD directly draining to the CHD.Type A5 refers to the RAHD,RPHD or RHD directly draining to the cystic duct(or aberrant bile duct communicating with the cystic duct,ACC)(Fig.1)[1].