Ectopic liver tissue in the kidney: case report and literature review

OUP accepted manuscript

Extrahepatic liver (EL) rests are rare, with a reported annual incidence of 0.24–0.47. While reports often note EL incidentally found on pathologic specimens of aberrant tissue, there has been a case report of hepatocellular carcinoma arising from one of these rests, highlighting the importance of surgical resection. EL has been reported to cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, intraperitoneal bleeding and compression of adjacent organs. Most commonly, it has been identified in the gallbladder, likely due to proximity of the gallbladder to the native liver. The paucity of diagnostic tests makes the preoperative diagnosis challenging. We present a case of a 12-year-old female presenting with severe epigastric pain secondary to incapsulated EL tissue attached to the stomach via a narrow stalk. By describing this case, we hope to improve the diagnosis and management of abdominal masses with unclear etiology.

Ectopic liver tissue in the esophagus: A case report

INTRODUCTION

Ectopic liver (EL) is a rare entity, which is reported to develop at various sites, such as the abdominal cavity, the retroperitoneal cavity, the pleural cavity, and the mediastinum.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 27-year-old previously healthy Chinese man suffered from a discontinuous abdominal pain in the upper abdomen for 2 months.

DIAGNOSIS

The upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed there was a polypoid mucosal uplift on the distal region of the esophagus near the cardia.

INTERVENTIONS

Endoscopic polypectomy was performed.

OUTCOMES

Pathology examination showed the liver tissue.

CONCLUSION

EL should be excised as it may possibly lead to the development of a malignancy. Endoscopic resection was found to be safe and reliable in this case.

A case of ectopic liver tissue adherent to the gallbladder

We report a case of a 30-year-old lady who presented to the emergency department with a 1 day history of severe epigastric pain which radiated to the back. Focused history, physical exam findings, haematological and radiological investigations, including ultrasound scanning of the abdomen, supported the diagnosis of acute gallstone pancreatitis. She was managed conservatively and underwent elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy at a later date. Intraoperatively, there was noted to be a small nodule loosely adherent to the gallbladder serosa. Histology from this nodule revealed it to be a portion of anatomically normal liver parenchyma also referred to as ectopic liver tissue (ELT). ELT is a rare developmental abnormality in which normally functioning liver tissue develops at an extra-hepatic site. ELT is known to have an increased risk of neoplastic transformation and so we believe it to be of clinical importance.