Successful Resection and Vascular Ligation of a Large Hepatic Artery Aneurysm - A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

The occurrence of hepatic artery aneurysms is rare and might be incidentally diagnosed, as the patient remains asymptomatic for a long period of time. However, due to the fact that these lesions are associated with a high risk of developing life threatening complications, such as intraperitoneal rupture, it has been stated that all cases should be submitted to treatment by endovascular or surgical approach. We present the case of a 68-year-old patient, who presented with recurrent upper digestive tract bleedings and was diagnosed with a large aneurysm of the common and the proper hepatic artery, and the gastroduodenal artery. The preoperative angiography revealed an anatomic variation consisting of the common hepatic artery originating from the celiac trunk, and the left hepatic artery originating from the left gastric artery. A percutaneous right portal vein embolization was performed in order to induce hypertrophy of the left lobe and prepare the patient for a right hepatectomy and aneurysmal resection. However, at the time of surgery, after performing the aneurysmal resection and arterial ligation, the vascular supply of the entire liver was efficiently provided by the left hepatic artery and its collaterals. Concluding, hepatic resection was no longer necessary.

Keywords: Hepatic artery aneurysm; aneurysm resection; portal embolization.