Abstract

The liver fluke, Clonorchis sinensis is an important human parasite and is endemic in Eastern Asia including Korea, China, and Japan. Patients acquire the infestation by eating raw or undercooked freshwater fish. Radiologic examinations usually reveal dilated peripheral intrahepatic bile ducts and normal extrahepatic bile duct. The diagnosis of clonorchiasis may sometimes be difficult and a presentation as an obstructive mass at the common hepatic duct is a rare event. Here we report a case of clonorchiasis of 54-year- old woman presented with epigastric pain. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography revealed a mass at the common hepatic duct with dilatation of the intrahepatic ducts mimicking cholangiocarcinoma. Using an endoscopic basket, muddy, sludge-like materials were extracted through the papillary orifice. We report this case with a review of literatures. (Korean J Gastrointest Endosc 2005;31:268⁣272)

• Keywords: Clonorchiasis, Cholangiocarcinoma, Bile duct obstruction