Rupture of hepatic aneurysm complicating hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (Osler-Weber-Rendu disease) for which hepatic arterial coil embolization was effective

Hepatic Vascular Variants in Hereditary Haemorrhagic Telangiectasia: Imaging findings

Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterised by vascular dysplasia. Hepatic vascular malformations (VMs) range from small telangiectases to significant vascular shunting. Here we report two cases of HHT. Case 1 had diffuse ectasia of the hepatic artery along its intrahepatic and extrahepatic course with a hepatic arterial aneurysm. Case 2 presented with ileal and hepatic telangiectases. Knowledge of these vascular variants is indispensable for clinicians and radiologists in aiding diagnosis and surgical and interventional management.

Endovascular Treatment of a Giant Aneurysm of the Aberrant Right Hepatic Artery in a Patient with Osler-Weber-Rendu Syndrome: A Case Report

Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome (OWR) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by recurrent epistaxis, mucocutaneous or visceral telangiectasias, and arteriovenous malformations in the lungs, liver, brain, and gastrointestinal tract. Hepatic artery aneurysms (HAAs) can also occur in OWR patients. HAAs are the second most common type of visceral artery aneurysm, and mortality rates are high owing to the lack of a tamponade effect. Anatomical variations of the celiacomesenteric vasculature are common, and the most common variation is that of the right hepatic artery originating from the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). We present the endovascular treatment of a patient with OWR and an aberrant right HAA originating from the SMA, with coil embolization and stent grafting. Giant HAAs can be treated endovascularly. However, stent graft placement should be reconsidered because of the need for antithrombotic medication, which may increase the incidence of epistaxis attacks in that patient group.

Giant Symptomatic Aneurysm Secondary to Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia of a Main Hepatic Artery with Aberrant Origin in Superior Mesenteric Artery

BACKGROUND

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare disease consistent in vascular dysplasias affecting different organs. Liver involvement includes telangiectases, arteriovenous shunting, and ischemic cholangitis, and its prevalence ranges from 8% to 31%. Spontaneous pseudoaneurysms have never been reported associated to HHT. Several variations in the origin of the main hepatic artery (MHA) have been described in large radiological series and can be found in around 4% of general population.

METHODS

A 64-year-old woman with history of HHT was diagnosed of acute symptomatic saccular aneurysm involving the MHA. The associated portovenous fistulae suggested that liver perfusion could be impaired if embolization of the MHA without revascularization was performed. Because of an aberrant origin on the superior mesenteric artery, a hybrid procedure was designed, consistent on endovascular exclusion of the MHA associated with a surgical aortic-hepatic bypass graft.

RESULTS

Angio computed tomography (Angio CT) was performed at discharge, 1 month, and 6 months after intervention, revealed complete exclusion of the aneurysm, which reduced 50% in diameter after 6 months. Aneurysms of the MHA can be associated with HHT when intrahepatic arteriovenous fistulae are present. This complication is rare, and the reported cases have been treated by surgical and totally endovascular procedures. The confluence of this very rare condition with an uncommon vascular anatomy makes this a unique case that required the design of a customized intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Hybrid procedures are useful to treat conditions that cannot be solved with standard interventions. Longer series of cases with long-term surveillance are needed to asses the results of these techniques in these complex pathology.

Open arterial reconstruction of multiple hepatic artery aneurysms in a patient with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: A case report

BACKGROUND

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is characterized by mucocutaneous telangiectasia and visceral vascular malformations (VMs). Liver involvement with VMs may lead to high-output cardiac failure, portal hypertension, and biliary disease. There is no curative treatment for the disease, and liver transplantation is indicated for life-threatening complications. Herein, we report a case of multiple hepatic artery aneurysms (HAAs) in a patient with HHT in which open arterial reconstruction was performed. There have only been a few case reports on HAA occurring with HHT. Thus, this case provides important information for the management of HHT-associated HAAs.

CASE SUMMARY

A 62-year-old female with known HHT was referred to our facility to seek further treatment for a giant HAA. She denied any symptoms except recurrent epistaxis. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a right HAA with a diameter of 72 mm, in addition to 2 other minor HAAs. The CT scan also revealed the VMs that were scattered in the liver, and a continuously dilated and tortuous artery existing from the celiac trunk to the right and left hepatic arteries. We performed open arterial reconstruction of the HAAs. Her postoperative course was uneventful.

CONCLUSIONS

When treating HAAs, there are a variety of options. However, hepatic VMs might affect HHT patients in various ways postprocedurally. Ligation and embolization of the hepatic artery may lead to complications, such as massive hepatic necrosis. Hepatectomy should be avoided if possible, because a postoperative hyperperfusive state in the remaining liver can cause adverse events. We believe that arterial reconstruction of HHT-associated HAAs might reduce the risk of postprocedural complications with minimal hemodynamic changes in the liver, thus obviating the need for hepatectomy or liver transplantation.

Hepatic artery aneurysm developing after Billroth's operation

In this report we review the unusual case of a patient with a common hepatic artery aneurysm presenting 30 years after a Billroth's II resection. A 65-year-old man with epigastric pain and 10 kg of weight loss in the previous 6 months was referred to our clinic. Computed tomography revealed the presence of an aneurysm of the common hepatic artery (HAA) of 35 mm. This HAA was surgically excluded by aneurysmectomy and prosthetic bypass. Intraoperatively we observed extensive peritoneal adhesions and connective tissue formation in the region of the hepatoduodenal and hepatogastric ligaments, and the outer wall of the HAA was tightly affixed to the root of the transverse mesocolon by connective adhesions. Retraction of the adhesions slowly brought about a continued stretching and thinning of the arterial wall likely caused the HAA.

Rendu-Osler disease: treatment with oestrogen/progestagen versus octreotide

In Rendu-Osler disease, haemorrhages due to gastrointestinal vascular malformations are common. Surgical and endoscopic treatments for haemorrhage due to gastrointestinal vascular malformations are compromised when lesions are diffuse, escape identification or are inaccessible to treatment. Hormonal treatment with oestrogen and progestagens is still controversial based on contradictory results from two randomised clinical trials. Although somatostatin and its long-acting analogue, octreotide, have been reported to be beneficial in preventing rebleeding, there is no consensus on this type of treatment. This case report shows how the combination of ethinyloestradiol and norethisterone markedly reduced the need for blood transfusions with few side effects in one patient; in comparison, octreotide seems less effective but this could be related to a worsening of the disease.

Right hepatic artery false aneurysm secondary to acalculous cholecystitis

The present report describes a case of an extrahepatic right hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm caused by acalculous cholecystitis. An 85-year-old man was admitted with abdominal pain, cachexia and jaundice. A CT scan showed a saccular false right hepatic artery aneurysm within a soft tissue and fluid mass that was causing biliary obstruction. The soft tissue mass raised the possibility of malignant disease, but this resolved slowly after a period of time and on reviewing the patient's history the only upper gastrointestinal problem noted was an episode of acalculous cholecystitis 3 months previously, which was believed to be the cause of the pseudoaneurysm. The false aneurysm was treated successfully with coil embolisation and the patient recovered fully from this illness.