Ruptured aneurysm of the hepatic artery: a mismatching diagnosis

Abstract

Background: Hepatic aneurysms are extremely rare with very few cases reported, and most have been source of misdiagnosis and clinical pitfalls in emergency medicine. Presentation with intraabdominal hemorrhage is associated with a high mortality rate. Case report: We report the case of an adult male, referred for a severe acute pain in the left lower chest-upper quadrant abdomen pain. We present multislice contrast-enhanced CT-scanning and angiographic findings, and a life-saving emergency trancatheter embolization, using fragments of absorbable gelatin sponge. Emergency doctors should consider ruptured hepatic artery aneurysms in the differential diagnosis of acute abdominal pain and promptly cooperate with endovascular specialists to treat this life-threatening condition.

Keywords

• Hepatic aneurysms
• Abdominal pain
• Intra-abdominal hemorrhage
• Transcatheter embolization.