2301 Hepatic Adenoma Misdiagnosed as Biliary Colic

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: We present the case of a woman who presented on multiple occasions with abdominal pain attributed to biliary colic that was eventually diagnosed as a hemorrhagic hepatic adenoma. We emphasize the importance of keeping a wide differential diagnosis for a common gastrointestinal complaint, the importance of medication review, and the benefit of patient-centered care. CASE DESCRIPTION/METHODS: A 37 year old female presented to the emergency department with right upper quadrant pain. She had pain for the past month that was more severe and constant in the past week. She had no fevers, chills, vomiting, or diarrhea. Her only medication was ethinyl estradiol for endometriosis. Her pain had been attributed to biliary colic at prior clinic appointments. She had right upper quadrant tenderness without peritoneal signs. A complete blood count and complete metabolic panel were unremarkable. A CT scan showed a 4.9 × 3.9 × 3.9 cm hepatic mass, with subsequent MRI demonstrating intrinsic T1 hyperintense signal consistent with a hepatic adenoma with recent hemorrhage. The patient declined to stop her estrogen without further endometriosis therapy, so she underwent simultaneous laparoscopic liver wedge resection and robotic hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oopherectomy. She now has some minor residual pain but is doing well. DISCUSSION: Hepatic adenomas are uncommon liver tumors classically associated with oral contraceptive (OCP) use. The annual incidence is 1 in 1,000,000 in non OCP users, but increases to 30-40 per 1,000,000 in those with long term OCP use. The risk increases with both increasing dose and duration of therapy. OCPs not only increase the incidence of hepatic adenomas, but they tend to be larger, more numerous, and more likely to bleed in patients who take OCPs. In this case, premature closure by multiple providers led to anchoring on the diagnosis of biliary colic. The association between her use of ethinyl estradiol and the possibility of hepatic adenoma was not recognized until her adenoma had begun to bleed, which could have resulted in a catastrophic outcome. This highlights the need to keep a broad differential and perform an adequate medication review for patients that present with this common gastrointestinal complaint. Additionally, prioritizing the patient’s preference to control her endometriosis pain led to consultation with the appropriate surgical teams that ultimately led to a positive outcome for the patient.