Case Report
Copyright ©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 7, 2006; 12(37): 6059-6061
Published online Oct 7, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i37.6059
Necrosis of a large hepatic tumor after hemorrhage and subsequent selective arterial embolization
Volkert AL Huurman, Jan HMB Stoot, Edwin van der Linden, Onno T Terpstra, Alexander FM Schaapherder
Volkert AL Huurman, Jan HMB Stoot, Onno T Terpstra, Alexander F M Schaapherder, Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
Edwin van der Linden, Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
Correspondence to: Alexander FM Schaapherder, MD, PhD, Department of Surgery, K6-R, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands. a.f.m.schaapherder@lumc.nl
Telephone: +31-71-5261396 Fax: +31-71-5216751
Received: May 17, 2006
Revised: May 28, 2006
Accepted: June 16, 2006
Published online: October 7, 2006
Abstract

This case report describes a young female patient presenting with acute intra-abdominal hemorrhage originating from a large tumor in the liver, most likely a hepatocellular adenoma. The bleeding was stopped by selective embolization of right hepatic artery branches. Subsequently, partial hepatectomy was performed after 6 mo. Macro- and microscopic examination showed complete necrosis and absence of tumorous tissue. The patient was discharged without complications, and subsequent follow-up until 22 mo after resection did not reveal any new lesions in the liver. This case emphasizes the significance of selective arterial embolization in the management of bleeding liver tumors and questions the need for (partial) hepatectomy after this procedure in selective cases.

Keywords: Liver hemorrhage; Selective arterial embolization; Hepatocellular adenoma