Hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE) is a potentially fatal and chronically progressive infestation that is caused by the multivesicular metacestode of Echinococcus multilocularis (EM). HAE behaves like a malignant tumor and has been referred to as "worm cancer. " The main treatment method for HAE is surgical resection.
We present a 41-year-old Tibetan alveolar echinococcosis (AE) patient with AE lesions invading the right liver lobe and retrohepatic inferior vena cava (RHIVC).
The patient was diagnosed with HAE based on results obtained from ultrasound examination, computed tomography, liver 3-dimensional reconstruction, serology tests, clinical presentation, and surgical exploration. The final pathology report confirmed the diagnosis as HAE.
A radical surgery that combined resection of the liver and RHIVC was performed successfully.
The patient had an uneventful postoperative recovery and a good prognosis.
When lesions of the liver significantly violate the RHIVC, resecting the RHIVC without reconstruction may be considered if possible.
Medicine. 2017 Sep [Epub]
Lei Du, Ling-Qiang Zhang, Li-Zhao Hou, Li Ren, Hai-Jiu Wang, Xin-Jian Guo, Haining Fan
aDepartment of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University, Xining bXian Yang Central Hospital, Xian Yang cQinghai Province Key Laboratory of Hydatid Disease Research dMedical College of Qinghai University, Xining, China.