Causes of Bile Duct Obstruction

  • Stones (common)

  • Duct trauma due to surgery (common)

  • Tumors

  • Scarring due to chronic pancreatitis

  • External compression by a cyst, a hernia of the common bile duct (choledochocele), or a pancreatic pseudocyst (rare)

  • Extrahepatic or intrahepatic strictures due to primary sclerosing cholangitis

  • AIDS-related cholangiopathy or cholangitis

  • Parasitic infestation with Clonorchis sinensis or Opisthorchis viverrini

  • Parasite migration of Ascaris lumbricoides into the common bile duct (rare)