Abstract

Finding a foreign body in the common bile duct (CBD) is very rare. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has been widely used for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and metastatic liver tumors, and especially when the tumors are not surgically resectable. We experienced a patient with a CBD foreign body 47 days after performing TACE for single hepatic metastasis of adrenal cortical carcinoma. The foreign body in the common bile duct was high attenuated on the pre-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and it was not observed on the previous CT. We successfully extracted it via a basket after performing endoscopic sphincterotomy; this foreign body was dark black color, flexible and smooth. It was not observed on the follow-up CT scan after one month. The foreign body in the common bile duct was tumor tissue that contained lipiodol and it was near the bile duct. We report here on a rare case of a foreign body in the common bile duct, and it was caused by lipiodol after performing TACE. (Korean J Gastrointest Endosc 2008;37:156-159)

• Keywords: Foreign body, Common bile duct, Lipiodol, Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization