title: Hepatic artery ligation: a simple and safe technique to treat extrahepatic aneurysms of the hepatic artery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Treatment of patients with extrahepatic artery aneurysms (HAAs) is not well defined. The aim of this study was to report 4 patients with HAAs treated by ligation and to underline the rationale of this technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 2000 to 2006, 4 consecutive patients, including 1 with bile duct compression and 1 with hemobilia, presented with symptomatic HAAs. Preoperative imaging included spiral computed axial tomography with computed axial tomography-assisted arteriography in all patients and diagnostic arteriography in 1 patient. One patient underwent unsuccessful transarterial embolization. All patients were treated surgically by ligation with preservation of the collateral network identified by preoperative imaging.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During a 6- to 70-month range of follow-up, there was no postoperative mortality, surgical morbidity, or adverse consequences on liver function tests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ligation is a simple and efficient treatment in patients with symptomatic extrahepatic artery aneurysm, even those with bile duct obstruction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Hospital Beaujon, Clichy, France.
authors.forename: Mircea
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chirica
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alkofer
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sauvanet
authors.forename: Marie-Pierre
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Vullierme
authors.forename: Yoel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Belghiti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged