Hepatic venous outflow obstruction after hydatid cyst surgery: evaluation with contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography.

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study is to present the contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography findings of hepatic venous outflow obstruction in patients in whom surgery had been performed for hepatic hydatidosis. No patient history of parasitic hepatic venous invasion or earlier hepatic venous outflow obstruction is present.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Four men and three women with a history of hydatid cyst surgery underwent contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography between April 2001 and June 2006. The mean age was 37.7 years. The mean time duration between the last date of surgery and the date of magnetic resonance angiography imaging was 65.5 months. The site of the hydatid cyst was the right lobe in two patients, the medial segment of the left lobe in two patients, the liver dome in two patients, and the conjunction of the right lobe anterior-left lobe medial segments in one patient. One patient had undergone total and one patient had undergone partial lobectomy, and cystectomy was performed in five patients.

RESULTS

On magnetic resonance angiograms, nonvisualization or stenosis of the hepatic veins was detected in all cases. In one patient thrombosis and in another patient severe stenosis of the inferior vena cava were associated. The portal hilum was displaced anterosuperiorly in five patients. Intrahepatic collaterals were present in six patients and extrahepatic collaterals were seen in three. Associated thrombosis in the left portal vein was found in two patients.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that patients with complicated hydatid cysts and who have had postoperative complications should be checked not only for recurrence or abscess formation, but also for vascular changes. magnetic resonance angiography is a useful alternative imaging technique and can provide useful information at one session within several minutes in patients who had undergone surgery for hydatid cyst of the liver.