Extrahepatic collaterals and liver damage in embolotherapy for ruptured hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm following hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery

AIM: To evaluate the effects of extrahepatic collaterals to the liver on liver damage and patient outcome after embolotherapy for the ruptured hepatic artery pseudoa- neurysm following hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery. METHODS: We reviewed 9 patients who underwent transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for the ruptured hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm following major hepato- biliary pancreatic surgery between June 1992 and April 2006. We paid special attention to the extrahepatic arte- rial collaterals to the liver which may affect post-TAE liver damage and patient outcome. RESULTS: The underlying diseases were all malignan- cies, and the surgical procedures included hepatopancre- atoduodenectomy in 2 patients, hepatic resection with removal of the bile duct in 5, and pancreaticoduodenec- tomy in 2. A total of 11 pseudoaneurysm developed: 4 in the common hepatic artery, 4 in the proper hepatic artery, and 3 in the right hepatic artery. Successful he- mostasis was accomplished with the initial TAE in all patients, except for 1. Extrahepatic arterial pathways to the liver, including the right inferior phrenic artery, the jejunal branches, and the aberrant left hepatic artery, were identified in 8 of the 9 patients after the completion of TAE. The development of collaterals depended on the extent of liver mobilization during the hepatic resection, the postoperative period, the presence or absence of an aberrant left hepatic artery, and the concomitant arte- rial stenosis adjacent to the pseudoaneurysm. The liver tolerated TAE without significant consequences when at least one of the collaterals from the inferior phrenic ar-tery or the aberrant left hepatic artery was present. One patient, however, with no extrahepatic collaterals died of liver failure due to total liver necrosis 9 d after TAE. CONCLUSION: When TAE is performed on ruptured hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm, reduced collateral path- ways to the liver created by the primary surgical proce- dure and a short postoperative interval may lead to an unfavorable outcome.

Hemobilia secondary to hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm: An unusual complication of bile leakage in a patient with a history of a resected Ⅲb Klatskin tumor

We report a case of a 74-year-old woman with a 16-year history of a double bilo-enteric anastomosis due to resected hilar cholangiocarcinoma [Type IIIb Klatskin tumor]. The patient presented with cholangitis secondary to benign anastomotic stenosis which resulted in a large intrahepatic biloma. In order to restore the patency of the anastomosis and overcome cholangitis, several attempts took place, including endobiliary stenting, balloon-assisted biloplasty and transhepatic billiary drainage. Anastomotic patency was achieved, complicated, however, by persistent upper gastro-intestinal bleeding, presented as hemobilia. A biloma-induced pseudoaneurysm of the left hepatic artery was diagnosed. This had ruptured into the biliary tract, and presented the actual cause of the hemobilia. Selective embolism of the pseudoaneurysm resulted in control of the hemorrhage, and was successfully combined with transhepatic dilatation of the anastomosis and percutaneous drainage of the biloma. The patient was ultimately cured and seems to be in excellent condition, 5 mo after treatment.

Late hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm:A rare complication after resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma

We report an unusual pathological entity of a pseudoaneurysm of the right hepatic artery, which developed two years after the resection of a type 11 hilar cholangiocarcinoma and secondary to an excessive skeletonization for regional lymphadenectomy and neoadjuvant external-beam radiotherapy. After a sudden and massive hematemesis, a multidetector computed tomographic angiography （MDCTA） showed a hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm. Angiography with embolization of the pseudoaneurysm was attempted using microcoils with adequate patency of the hepatic artery and the occlusion of the pseudoaneurysm. A new episode of hematemesis 3 wk later revealed a partial revascularization of the pseudoaneurysm. A definitive interventional radiological treatment consisting of transarterial embolization （TAE） of the right hepatic artery with stainless steel coils and polyvinyl alcohol particles was effective and welltolerated with normal liver function tests and without signs of liver infarction.

Hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm caused by acute idiopathic pancreatitis

Hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm(HAP) is a very rare disease but in cases of complication,there is a very high mortality.The most common cause of HAP is iatrogenic trauma such as liver biopsy,transhepatic biliary drainage,cholecystectomy and hepatectomy.HAP may also occur with complications such as infections or inflammation associated with septic emboli.HAP has been reported rarely in patients with acute pancreatitis.As far as we are aware,there is no report of a case caused by acute idiopathic pancreatitis,particularly.We report a case of HAP caused by acute idiopathic pancreatitis which developed in a 61-year-old woman.The woman initially presented with acute pancreatitis due to unknown cause.After conservative management,her symptoms seemed to have improved.But eight days after admission,abdominal pain abruptly became worse again.Abdominal computed tomography(CT) was rechecked and it detected a new HAP that was not seen in a previous abdominal CT.Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP) was performed because of a suspicion of hemobilia as a cause of aggravated abdominal pain.ERCP confirmed hemobilia by observing fresh blood clots at the opening of the ampulla and several filling defects in the distal common bile duct on cholangiogram.Without any particular treatment such as embolization or surgical ligation,HAP thrombosed spontaneously.Three months after discharge,abdominal CT demonstrated that HAP in the left lateral segment had disappeared.

Pseudoaneurysm following laparoscopic cholecystectomy

BACKGROUND:Laparoscopic cholecystectomy(LC)is the operation of choice for removal of the gallbladder. Unrecognized bile duct injuries present with biliary peritonitis and systemic sepsis.Bile has been shown to cause damage to the vascular wall and therefore delay the healing of injured arteries leading to pseudoaneurysm formation.Failure to deal with bile leak and secondary infection may result in pseudoaneurysm formation. This study was to report the incidence and outcomes of pseudoaneurysm in patients with bile leak following LC referred to our hospital. METHODS:A retrospective analysis of our prospectively maintained liver database using pseudoaneurysm, bile leak and bile duct injury following laparoscopic cholecystectomy from January 2000 to December 2005 was performed. RESULTS:A total of 86 cases were referred with bile duct injury and bile leak following LC and of these,4 patients (4.5%)developed hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm(HAP) presenting with haemobilia in 3 and massive intra- abdominal bleed in 1.Selective visceral angiography confirmed pseudoaneurysm of the right hepatic artery in 2 cases,cystic artery stump in one and an intact but ectatic hepatic artery with surgical clips closely applied to the right hepatic artery at the origin of the cystic artery in the fourth case.Effective hemostasis was achieved in 3 patients with coil embolization and the fourth patient required emergency laparotomy for severe bleeding and hemodynamic instability due to a ruptured right hepatic artery.Of the 3 patients treated with coil embolization, 2 developed late strictures of the common hepatic duct. . (CHD)requiring hepatico-jejunostomy and one developed a stricture of left hepatic duct.All the 4 patients are alive at a median follow up of 17 months(range 1 to 65)with normal liver function tests. CONCLUSIONS:HAP is a rare and potentially life- threatening complication of LC.Biloma and subsequent infection are reported to be associated with pseudoaneurysm formation.Late duct stricture is common either due to unrecognized injury at LC or secondary to ischemia after embolization.

Recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding and hepatic infarction after liver biopsy

Hepatic artery pseudoaneurysms(HAP)are rare events,particularly after liver biopsy,but can be associated with serious complications.Therefore a high suspicion is necessary for timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment.We report on a case of HAP that potentially formed after a liver biopsy in a patient with sarcoidosis.The HAP in our case was virtually undetectable initially by angiography but resulted in several complications including recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding,hemorrhagic cholecystitis and finally hepatic infarction with abscess formation until it became detectable at a size of 5-mm.The patient remains asymptomatic over a year after endovascular embolization of the HAP.In this report,we demonstrate that a small HAP can avoid detection by angiography at an early stage while being symptomatic for a prolonged course.A high clinical suspicion with a close clinical/radiological follow-up is needed in symptomatic patients with history of liver biopsy despite initial negative work up.Once diagnosed,HAP can be safely and effectively treated by endovascular embolization.