Strictures of the common and hepatic bile ducts; a study of more than four hundred operations, with one-to twenty-five-year follow-up.

In the past 34 years, up to Nov. 4, 1958, the senior author (W. W.) has operated on 429 patients with stricture of the common and hepatic bile ducts. Over the years repeated follow-up studies have been made by questionnaires or reexamination in the year of the study of the patients who survived operation. These have shown that 70% to 75% of the patients had continuing relief of biliary obstruction without recurrence of intrahepatic infection unless contraction of the anastomosis occurred. Eight months ago (Feb. 13, 1958) we sent out questionnaires to the group who had undergone operation in the 10 years from 1943 through 1952, thus allowing an interval of at least 5 years between the operation and the study. Then we decided to see what the long-term results were; so we extended the date of inquiry an additional 10 years, from 1933 through 1942, thus making the follow-up