Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Kearns C, Knipe H, Ismail M, et al. Spiral mucosal folds. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 21 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-166161
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Henry Knipe had the following disclosures:
- Micro-X Ltd, Shareholder (past)
These were assessed during peer review and were determined to
not be relevant to the changes that were made.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosures
The spiral mucosal folds, also known as the valves of Heister, are spirally arranged mucosal folds on the endoluminal surface of the cystic duct.
Terminology
The term "valves" is a misnomer, as it has since been shown that they do not have a valvular function and do not contain a sphincter 1,5.
Function
Although incompletely understood, they contain neurohormonally responsive muscle, and their unique shape is thought to support the patency of the cystic duct 1,2.
History and etymology
They were originally described as valves by German anatomist and surgeon Lorenz Heister (1683-1758 4) in 1732, who thought they controlled bile inflow and outflow 2,3.
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1. Dasgupta D & Stringer M. Cystic Duct and Heister's "valves" Clin Anat. 2005;18(2):81-7. doi:10.1002/ca.20118 - Pubmed
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2. Samoilovich F, Urrutia S, Rodríguez A, Alle L, Ferreres A, Pina L. Surgical Considerations of the Cystic Duct and Heister Valves. Surg J. 2015;01(01):e23-7. doi:10.1055/s-0035-1567879 - Pubmed
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3. Compendium Anatomicum Totam Rem Anatomicam Brevissime Complectens / [Lorenz Heister]. Wellcome Collection. Available from: the Wellcome Collection
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4. Lorenz Heister (1683-1758) Eighteenth Century Surgeon. JAMA. 1967;202(11):1048. doi:10.1001/jama.1967.03130240090020
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5. Pina L, Samoilovich F, Urrutia S, Rodríguez A, Alle L, Ferreres A. Surgical Considerations of the Cystic Duct and Heister Valves. Surg J (N Y). 2015;1(1):e23-7. doi:10.1055/s-0035-1567879 - Pubmed
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