Abstract: Objective: To investigate the cause of the negative results for exploration of common bile duct in cholecystectomy. Methods: The data from 25 patients with negative results for exploration of common bile duct from June 2000 to December 2005 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The negative exploration occurred in acute edematous pancreatitis (n=5), chronic pancreatitis (n=4), obstructive cholecystitis (n=6), the petty gallstone (n=6), the muddy gall (n=6) in common bile duct and the tumid lymph gland (n=1) by common bile duct. Conclusions: The causes of the negative results for exploration of common bile duct are various. The negative exploration of common bile duct can be reduced by the intraoperative transcystic duct cholangiography.