[Subcapsular hepatic hematoma: an uncommon complication of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography]

Hepatic subcapsular hematoma following endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Report of two cases

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

Hepatic subcapsular hematomas (HSH) are an extremely rare post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) complication. Mortality exhibits disparities depending on the integrity of the hepatic capsular envelope, with ruptured HSH being associated with higher case fatality rates (2.2 % compared to 21.4 %).

CASES PRESENTATION

Two clinical cases are presented concerning a 20-year-old female patient and a 40-year-old male patient, who were diagnosed with choledocholithiasis and underwent ERCP procedures with the use of a wide-bore guidewire (WBG), with the undesired result of HSH as a complication. In both scenarios, a surgical approach strategy was chosen to manage this situation. The outcome turned out to be successful in the first case, in contrast to the unfortunate death of the patient in the second case.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Conservative approaches prevail in the management of HSH, as they often present intact, resulting in a low mortality rate. However, surgical approaches are reserved for consideration in situations of hemodynamic instability that persists despite the conservative measures implemented.

Subcapsular Hepatic Hematoma Post-Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Requiring Surgical Necrosectomy

Cholelithiasis is a common gastrointestinal pathology with a prevalence of over 6% in the USA. Symptomatic patients can develop cholangitis, biliary colic, pancreatitis and cholecystitis. Surgical management involves laparoscopic or open cholecystectomy. Stones within the common bile duct can be treated with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Well-known ERCP complications include pancreatitis, perforation, bleeding and cholangitis. Hepatic hematomas as a complication of ERCP are extremely rare, with fewer than 50 reported cases in the literature. Approximately 22% have required operative management. We present an extremely rare case of ERCP-associated subcapsular hepatic hematoma in a 43-year-old lady that was initially non-operatively managed. She did not improve with antibiotics alone and underwent attempted interventional radiology drainage. Despite this, due to on-going sepsis, the patient underwent laparoscopic necrosectomy and drain placement with continued post-operative irrigation. After a long course of antibiotics and drain irrigation, the patient was discharged with repeated computed tomography imaging showing almost total resolution of the infected collection. This case highlights the extreme rarity of surgical management for post-ERCP subcapsular hepatic hematoma and its successful outcome.

Hepatic subcapsular hematoma post-ERCP: Case report and literature review

INTRODUCTION

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is one of the most frequently performed minimally invasive procedures currently available for diagnosis and treatment of biliary and pancreatic diseases. Though considered a safe procedure, it has the highest rate of complications among the other endoscopic procedures, such as duodenal perforation and hepatic subcapsular hematoma (HSH). We are a presenting a case report and review of the current literature.

METHOD

We report one case HSH rupture, in a 25 years old female patient, 15 cm in diameter, affecting liver segments VI, VII and VIII, who underwent surgical treatment and performed a systematic literature review with the descriptors: endoscopic retrograde colangiopancreatography and hepatic subcapsular hematoma. All articles were reviewed and data on cases that presented rupture of the HSH analyzed separately.

RESULTS

Sixty one cases of HSH were described in the literature, fourteen of them ruptured. When analyzing only the subgroup of patients who had ruptured subcapsular hematoma, we showed a significant increase in the mortality rate of patients when compared to non-ruptured (21.4% × 2.2%). We also report that patients with rupture required some type of intervention, of which 78.6% required surgery. Conservative treatment may be the conduct and will suffice for most cases of non-ruptured hematomas. For patients who evolve with rupturing, surgical resolution, although non-mandatory, is necessary in most cases.

CONCLUSION

HSH ruptured is a rare and potentially fatal post-ERCP complication whose treatment is eminently surgical.

Subcapsular Hepatic Hematoma Post-ERCP: Case Report and Review of the Literature

INTRODUCTION

Hepatic hematoma is a rare but possible complication of ERCP. We describe the case of a 75-year old man with a large, 8 × 12 cm, sub-capsular and intra-parenchymal hematoma post ERCP, affecting the right liver segments and treated conservatively.

AREAS COVERED

A review of literature has been performed, highlighting two possible mechanisms: hematoma may occur as the result of accidental laceration of a small intrahepatic vessel by the guidewire, whereas the other hypothesis posits that the hepatic damage is secondary to traction on the biliary system exerted by the balloon. We speculate that in case of anomalies of the biliary tree, the incidence of this complication is higher than expected.

EXPERT COMMENTARY

In case of hepatic hematoma post ERCP, a conservative approach should always be considered before proceeding to interventional radiologic procedures or to surgical therapy.

Systematic review: Features, diagnosis, management and prognosis of hepatic hematoma, a rare complication of ERCP

BACKGROUND

Hepatic hematoma (HH) is a rare but severe adverse event following endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

AIMS

To perform a systematic literature review and describe two additional cases, one of which presenting multiple subcapsular/intrahepatic hematomas after ERCP.

METHODS

The literature review was performed in PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and SCOPUS to identify all cases reporting on HH after ERCP.

RESULTS

A total of 48 cases (females 63%, mean age 58.2 ± 20.6 years) were included. The mean symptoms onset time was 46.8 h after ERCP, and the most common symptoms were abdominal pain (91.7%), anaemia (43.8%), hypotension (29.2%) and fever (20.8%). All cases were diagnosed by computed tomography (CT). HH was found mostly in the right hepatic lobe (95.1%) and the mean size was 116 × 93 mm. A conservative management was adopted in 38.3% of cases, while percutaneous drainage, embolization and surgery were needed in 31.9%, 14.9% and 25%. Mortality rate was about 9%. Anaemia (OR 6.9; p = 0.02) and surgery (OR 10.5; p < 0.01) were the only independent factors for unfavorable outcome (death), while abdominal pain (OR 0.1; p = 0.03) and antibiotics administration (OR 0.06; p < 0.001) were associated with better outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

HH is a rare but severe complication following ERCP which needs a multidisciplinary approach. Antibiotics administration is the only treatment able to reduce the risk of death.

Rare case of hepatic haematoma following endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a commonly used diagnostic and therapeutic technique but it is not free of complications. Subcapsular hepatic haematoma is a rare but potentially fatal complication. A 71-years-old male patient resorted to the emergency department 36 hours after an uneventful ERCP presenting with severe abdominal pain and haemoglobin drop. Abdominal ultrasound and CT scan diagnosed a subcapsular hepatic haematoma. The patient was haemodynamically normal and was successfully treated with a conservative management. Signs and symptoms of hepatic haematoma following ERCP are non-specific. The most common symptom is abdominal pain. Abdominal CT, ultrasound or MRI make the diagnosis. Conservative management is possible if the patient is stable, nevertheless invasive treatment such as surgery or angiographic embolisation, may be required. A low threshold of suspicion is crucial for an early diagnosis and treatment. Fatal cases have been described but most patients have a favourable outcome.

Subcapsular hepatic haematoma of the right lobe following endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: Case report and literature review

Sub capsular hepatic haematoma is a rare complication after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Exact pathological mechanism is still unclear and few reports are nowadays available in literature. We report the case of a 58-year-old woman with recurrent episodes of upper abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. On the basis of laboratory exams, abdomen ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging she was diagnosed with a common bile duct stone. Endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy was performed. On the following day the patient complaint severe abdominal pain with rebound and hemodynamic instability. A computed tomography scan reveal a 14 cm × 6 cm × 19 cm sub-capsular hepatic haematoma on the right lobe that was successfully managed via percutaneous embolization. Sub capsular liver haematoma is a rare life threatening complication after ERCP that should be managed according to patients’ haemodynamic and clinic.

Parenchymal Guidewire Perforation during ERCP: An Unappreciated Injury

ERCP is attended with certain complications, the majority of which are well known to the medical community. Other less-known complications also exist. Guidewire injury to the hepatic or pancreatic parenchyma represents one of the much less appreciated, albeit preventable, complications. In this report, we present the clinical course of three patients who sustained guidewire perforation of the pancreatic or hepatic parenchyma. In one patient, the clinical deterioration was confidently attributed to guidewire perforation of the pancreatic parenchyma. Conservative treatment was successful and unnecessary emergency surgery was thus avoided. In the other two, in whom the cause of the clinical deterioration was unclear, an emergency surgery was performed. Guidewire injury to the hepatic parenchyma was then confirmed which needed only intraperitoneal drainage, with successful outcome.

Subcapsular Hepatic Hematoma After Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is one of the most frequently performed procedures for the diagnosis and treatment of biliary-pancreatic diseases. ERCP-related complications total around 2.5% to 8%, with a mortality rate ranging from 0.5% to 1%. An exceptional ERCP complication is subcapsular hepatic hematoma, and few cases are reported worldwide.We present the case of a 52-year-old woman with a history of recurring upper abdominal pain and a clinical and ultrasonographic diagnosis of obstructive jaundice due to common bile duct stones. After 2 difficult endoscopic biliary procedures, common bile duct stones clearance was obtained. Post-ERCP course was symptomatic with upper abdominal pain and anemization with hemodynamic instability.CT scan demonstrated a 15 cm × 11 cm subcapsular hepatic hematoma filled with air and liquid on the surface of the right hepatic lobe. The patient was successfully treated with the embolization of a small branch of right hepatic artery angiographically identified as the cause of bleeding.Subcapsular hepatic hematoma after ERCP is a rare complication that must be taken into account in the differential diagnosis of symptomatic cases after ERCP. Its diagnosis is based on clinical and laboratory data and especially on imaging (ultrasound, CT, or MRI). Treatment is often conservative but, in some cases, embolization or percutaneous drainage or surgery may be necessary.