[Liver hernia. Prognosis and report of 11 cases].

OBJECTIVES

Exclusive hepatocele is defined as a hernia containing in majority the liver with possibly some intestinal loops. This study was undertaken to evaluate neonatal morbidity and mortality in this series of exclusive hepatoceles.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed 11 cases of exclusive hepatoceles with delivery at the hospital Jeanne-de-Flandre in the CHRU of Lille, in France.

RESULTS

The mean gestational age of diagnosis was 14.5+/-3.4 weeks of gestation. Karyotype determination was performed in 100% of cases: it was abnormal in one case of 11. One termination of pregnancy was performed because of trisomy 13. The mean gestational age at delivery was 38+/-1.8 weeks of gestation. Cesarean deliveries were performed in nine cases. Morbidity was important with: one case of fetal growth retardation on total hepatocele, three cases of severe respiratory distress, two cases of severe digestive complications. The mean length of stay was 42.8 days. The mean length of parenteral feeding was 14.4 days. Postnatal mortality concerned one child, which died because of a severe respiratory distress due to pulmonary hypoplasia.

CONCLUSION

In this series, morbidity is thus important, making of exclusive hepatoceles a full entity among the omphaloceles. The multidisciplinary take care is more complex but conceivable.