Ruptured focal nodular hyperplasia observed during follow-up: a case report.
BACKGROUND
Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) is the second most common benign hepatic tumor and is very rarely complicated by hemorrhage or rupture. Although thought to be extremely rare, there have been several reports of hemorrhage caused by ruptured FNH. Herein, we report the case of a patient with ruptured FNH, who subsequently developed hemorrhage during follow-up.


METHODS
A 32-year-old man was admitted to our department for an asymptomatic hepatic tumor in segments 4 and 5 (S4/5), which measured 8 cm in diameter and observed to project from the liver. Imaging and pathologic examination of a biopsy specimen confirmed the diagnosis of FNH. Three years after the diagnosis, the patient was readmitted to our hospital because of sudden onset of upper abdominal pain. Dynamic abdominal computed tomography revealed ascites around the tumor with high-density areas that were considered to represent hematoma caused by ruptured FNH. Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) was performed to stop the hemorrhage. One month after TAE, S4/5 of the liver was resected; macroscopic findings revealed that a large part of the tumor was composed of necrotic tissue and hematoma. Pathological examination using hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical examination indicated a final diagnosis of FNH rupture and hemorrhage.


CONCLUSIONS
Although a well-established diagnosis of FNH usually requires no treatment or surveillance, careful examination remains necessary when the FNH is large and projects from the liver because of the possibility of rupture and hemorrhage.
Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abenoku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan. pikopiko0128@yahoo.co.jp.
Masahiko
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6716-6377
M
Kinoshita
Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abenoku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
Shigekazu
S
Takemura
Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abenoku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
Shogo
S
Tanaka
Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abenoku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
Genya
G
Hamano
Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abenoku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
Tokuji
T
Ito
Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abenoku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
Takanori
T
Aota
Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abenoku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
Masaki
M
Koda
Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abenoku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
Masahiko
M
Ohsawa
Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abenoku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
Shoji
S
Kubo
Focal nodular hyperplasia; Hemorrhage; Rupture