Traumatic rupture of a hemorrhagic hepatic cyst: a case presentation and literature review

Abstract

Hemorrhagic hepatic cyst with or without rupture is rare cause of acute abdomen with less than 20 cases reported in the literature. A standardardized management algorithm is currently not present, but literature suggests surgical management is ideal for definitive treatment and successful patient outcome. We report a case of a 39-year-old female with a chief complaint of sudden onset abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Abdominal computed tomography scan showed a large, 12-cm cyst in the right hepatic lobe with a hemorrhagic component. Successful laparoscopic operative management was conducted without post-operative complications such as recurrent bleeding. When managing patients with an acute abdomen, ruptured hepatic hemorrhagic cysts should be considered in the differential diagnosis and prompt surgical management should be considered as primary management.