Spontaneous hepatic rupture caused by hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count syndrome

HELLP syndrome at <23 weeks' gestation: a systematic literature review

OBJECTIVE

We performed a systematic review to evaluate the clinical presentation and maternal and fetal outcomes in pregnancies with early-onset HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets) syndrome.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were queried from inception through January 1, 2023 with the following terms: "HELLP syndrome," "HELLP," "hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets," "hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets syndrome," "pre-viable," "peri-viable," "previable," "periviable," "first trimester," "second trimester," "before 23 weeks," "<23 weeks," "<23 week gestation," and "before 23 weeks gestation." We also included an additional case from our institution.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Abstracts, unpublished studies, and review articles were excluded, yielding 46 studies that met our inclusion criteria.

METHODS

Two reviewers (N.S.I. and M.H.M.) performed the study selection and subsequent data extraction independently, after which the results were reviewed together. PRISMA guidelines were followed, and our study was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42021292692).

RESULTS

A total of 55 patients had 58 pregnancies complicated by early-onset HELLP syndrome, including 3 with recurrent HELLP. The most common presenting signs/symptoms were abdominal pain (35/45; 78%), hypertension (32/49; 65%), nausea/vomiting (16/45; 36%), headache (13/45; 29%), and edema (8/45; 18%). Lactate dehydrogenase ≥600 IU/L was observed in 21 of 31 (68%) cases, whereas liver enzyme abnormalities and thrombocytopenia were reported in 48 of 51 (94%) and 50 of 54 (93%) cases, respectively. Maternal complications were encountered in 25 of 56 (45%) cases. The most common complications were hepatic (13/56; 23%), central nervous system-related (11/56; 20%), and respiratory (11/56; 20%). In 36 of 57 (63%) cases, pregnancy was terminated. Of the 21 continued pregnancies, early fetal death (at <20 weeks' gestation) was reported in 10 (48%), stillbirth in 6 (28%), and neonatal demise in 2 (10%). Living neonates were reported in 3 of 21 (14%) cases, all delivered at 23 weeks. The perinatal mortality rate was 73% (8/11). One case (2%) reported maternal death. Antiphospholipid syndrome was diagnosed in 14 of 29 (48%) cases.

CONCLUSION

Early-onset HELLP syndrome presents with symptoms similar to those observed in later gestation. Maternal complications are life-threatening, with the most common complications being hepatic, central nervous system-related, and respiratory. Fetal outcomes are poor.

Conservative management of a pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia and postpartum spontaneous hepatic rupture: A case report and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Most spontaneous hepatic rupture cases are associated with a pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorder like preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. Although it is a rare complication, it is still associated with high maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality rates. With this study, we aim to present a case report and review the available literature on hepatic rupture associated with hypertensive disorders of the pregnancy.

METHODS

We present a case report and a review of the literature of the last 20 years on hepatic rupture associated with pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders. The selected cases were reviewed to collect information on maternal characteristics, clinical presentation, diagnostic studies, therapeutic modalities and maternal and fetal outcomes.

RESULTS

Our review has found 57 publications describing a total of 93 cases of hepatic hemorrhage with capsule rupture associated with pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders. Most of the patients were less than 35 years old and primiparous and the first symptoms of hepatic rupture included epigastric and right upper abdominal pain. Most of the diagnoses were made during surgery without previous diagnosis and, in the majority of cases, a surgical approach was necessary to achieve hemostasis. Perihepatic packing was the most used surgical method.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

Our clinical case and literature review reinforces the importance of closely monitoring all pregnancies complicated with hypertensive disorders, including in the postpartum period. Although hepatic rupture accounts for high maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality rates, it is possible to keep a conservative approach with good maternal and fetal outcomes, with a high index of suspicious, an early diagnosis and a multidisciplinary approach.

"Hepatic rupture in preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome: A catastrophic presentation"

The objective of index study is to review the available literature on hepatic rupture or hematoma in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy to find the incidence, associated risk factors, clinical presentation, mode of management and feto-maternal outcome. Electronic database was searched using hepatic rupture or hematoma in pregnancy, preeclampsia, eclampsia, and HELLP syndrome (Hemolysis, EL: elevated liver enzymes, LP: low platelet count) as key words and literature published since January, 2000 to December, 2018 which met the inclusion criteria was reviewed. A total of 56 articles were reviewed describing 93 cases of hepatic hemorrhage in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Treatment varied from conservative management to abdominal packing, hepatic artery embolization, and partial hepatectomy to liver transplantation. Seven out of 93 patients with liver rupture met mortality and in one of them diagnosis was established on autopsy. Unawareness of the hepatic rupture in pregnancy by an obstetrician demands high index of suspicion for diagnosis and requires specialized, focused and exhaustive management for optimal feto-maternal outcome. Laparotomy and perihepatic packing is a viable option in patients with unstable vitals and is feasible even in limited resource settings.Short interval between diagnosis and management may enhance the feto-maternal survival rate and prevent further morbidity or mortality.

Spontaneous Hepatic Hemorrhage Caused by Emphysematous Cholecystitis: A Case Report and Literature Review

BACKGROUND

Emphysematous cholecystitis and spontaneous hepatic hemorrhage are uncommon and serious conditions with non-specific presentations that can lead to a poor clinical outcome. We report a case of spontaneous hepatic hemorrhage of emphysematous cholecystitis. A 49-year-old male presented to the emergency department with fever, chills, right upper quadrant pain, vomiting, and diarrhea of four days' duration. He had a history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and uarthritis. Computed tomography (CT) revealed an enlarged gallbladder with intra-luminal, intra-mural, and peri-cholecystic air; subcapsular high-density fluid collection; and an intra-hepatic mass with gas and liquid in the right lobe of the liver. After receiving prompt administration of appropriate antibiotic agents, drainage, and an alternative operation the patient recovered well.

CONCLUSION

Emphysematous cholecystitis is potentially fatal because of its serious complications. It needs to be diagnosed promptly, not only based on the effervescent gallbladder sign but also on the inflammatory presentations. Furthermore, for patients with spontaneous hepatic hemorrhage, attention should be paid to the underlying cause. Treatment should be individualized to improve diagnosis and cure as early as possible, thereby improving prognosis.

Hepatic rupture associated with preeclampsia, report of three cases and literature review

BACKGROUND

Hepatic rupture is a complication during pregnancy that, although rare, accounts for high morbidity and mortality rates. It is mainly associated with severe preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. Incidence is estimated to be at one per 67,000 births or one per 2000 patients with preeclampsia/eclampsia/HELLP, mainly in multiparous women; women in their 40s; after 32 weeks of gestation; and during the first 15 h postpartum.

CASES

This article exposes the institutional experience at Fundación Valle del Lili in Cali, Colombia, in managing and treating hepatic rupture associated with severe preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome in three patients in the 30th, the 26th, and the 27th week of gestation, not resulting in maternal death.

DISCUSSION

A search in Pubmed, Embase, and Ovid from 2000 to 2017 resulted in 35 cases reported in either pregnant or puerperal women. Hepatic rupture is a rare complication in pregnancy associated with preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. Its pathophysiology is attributed to the presence of vasospasm due to an increase in concentration and sensitivity to circulating vasopressors during pregnancy. There is no standard management, but surgery reduces mortality significantly. It includes endovascular management, partial hepatectomy, or transplant (only one patient required a liver transplant in our search). The most used techniques have been ligation of the hepatic artery, embolization of the hepatic artery, and examination, packing, and drainage of hepatic lesion for bleeding control (27 cases were treated with laparotomy with evacuation of hematoma and hemostasis and four cases were treated with embolization of the hepatic artery). Hepatic artery occlusion both by surgery ligation and by embolization through interventional radiology has reported successful and failing results during pregnancy Conclusion: Management of pathologies as hepatic rupture associated with severe preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome has to be clearly protocolized for prompt diagnosis and early management. Furthermore, it has to be carried out through multidisciplinary teams in high-complexity obstetrics scenarios.