Spontaneous perforation of biliary tree is a rare disease. There are only a few case- reports published in the literature. Due to little success in the preoperative diagnosis, surgical treatment is delayed, which in a high percentage results into fatal complications. Surgeons` opinions of operative treatment in such cases are controversial, but the primary choice is decompressing drainage of biliary tree. Authors of this report present a case of 71 years old woman admitted to the second surgical clinic with the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. Because of developing signs of peritoneal irritation, the patient was referred for a surgical procedure with the finding of biliary peritonitis and the rupture of ductus choledochus. In the above case, the diagnosis was made peroperatively, where the surgical treatment consisted of drainage of ductus choledochus by Kehr T drain and cholecystestomy by inserting Malecoat catheter into gallbladder. Postoperative period was without complications, the T drain was removed on the 28th day after operation and Malecoat catheter was also removed two days later. Three years after the operation, the patient is in good physical condition with free bile passage according to ERCP. The aim of this report is to bring the attention to this rare, but more importantly serious cause of origin of sudden abdominal event, in order to increase the interception rate concerning preoperative periods and consequent satisfactory treatment.

        Key words: spontaneous perforation – biliary tree – pankreatitis – peritonitis biliaris