Background: Hepatocellular adenomas (HCA) may present with spontaneous haemorrhage and rupture. The aim of this study was to assess management in 22 patients treated for haemorrhage and/or rupture of HCA.
Patients and methods: Between May 1990 and July 2005, 22 female patients were diagnosed with acute haemorrhage and/or rupture of lesions highly suspicious of HCA. Preoperative imaging diagnostics and pathologic specimens were reviewed.
Results: Twelve haemodynamically stable and four unstable patients could be treated conservatively. One patient underwent acute partial liver resection, whereas four patients underwent laparotomy with initial packing of the liver. In one patient, selective embolisation of the left hepatic artery was performed. Fifteen patients eventually underwent resection after a mean time of 8 months after initial treatment. Six patients did not undergo resection and showed no complications or rebleeding after a mean follow-up of 24.6 months. Only in seven patients, histopathological examination showed HCA, and in one patient, HCA with focal nodular hyperplasia.
Conclusion: HCA with haemorrhage and/or rupture does not necessarily require immediate liver resection. Conservative treatment is justified in stable patients. In case of an instable patient with or without hemoperitoneum, laparotomy with packing or selective embolisation can stop the bleeding.