A patient had a large accessory bile duct which was divided during cholecystectomy and successfully repaired. Since it has been shown that there is a higher incidence of both chronic and acute biliary tract disease in patients with congenital aberrations of the biliary tree, anomalies and embryologic development of the biliary system were reviewed. It is recognized that these anomalies are uncommon, but the conditions must be recognized at the time of operation. There is controversy as to whether a large accessory duct should be ligated or repaired, but with improved surgical techniques for small anastomosis, repair of a divided accessory duct seems indicated.