Late development of giant hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm following abdominal trauma due to tire blast: case report and literature review

Abstract

Giant hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm is rare but could have a significant implication. A 35-year-old male was severely injured by a truck tire explosion and presented with hypotension and positive focused assessment with sonography in trauma scan. After resuscitation, abdomen computed tomography (CT) scan showed a Grade 4 liver injury. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit, and the liver injury was treated conservatively. Seventeen days later, he developed abdominal pain with deep epigastric tenderness. Repeated abdomen CT scan detected a giant hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm. Embolization was achieved using gel foam with the placement of six microcoils. The patient had an uneventful recovery. Late development of giant hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm is a rare complication of hepatic trauma and could be life-threatening. Timely identification and treatment with endovascular intervention are crucial. We recommend, especially when dealing with trauma related to blast injury, follow-up images for patients who develop symptoms suggestive of hepatic injury.