Hepatic lobe torsion: A rare disease necessitating surgical management

Abstract

Background: Accessory liver lobes and other congenital liver abnormalities are rare and most often asymptomatic. However, these abnormalities can result in liver torsion, requiring surgical resection.

Case report: We report a case of a 72-year-old woman with hepatic lobe torsion. She presented with an acute onset of chest pain and was discovered to have hypoperfusion of the left lobe of the liver on contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan. An exploratory laparotomy revealed left hepatic lobe torsion with irreversible ischemic changes requiring left hepatic lobe resection.

Conclusion: Even though hepatic torsion is rare, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis for abdominal pain and appropriately imaged so that surgical teams can prepare for the complex surgical procedure.

Keywords: Hepatic torsion; Hypoperfusion of the liver; Partial hepatectomy.