Hemobilia from ruptured hepatic artery aneurysm. Report of a case and review of the literature.

Hepatic artery aneurysm is a rare vascular disease associated with high mortality caused by massive hemorrhage or by complications following surgical treatment. Over the past twenty-five years it has been managed surgically with increasing success. Eighty reported cases of hepatic artery aneurysms ruptured into the biliary tree were reviewed and the etiology, clinical signs, diagnosis, and treatment of such an aneurysm are discussed. A personal case with an aneurysm of the right hepatic artery ruptured into the common hepatic duct is reported. The diagnosis was made before surgery by arteriography and the aneurysm was successfully managed by ligation of the right hepatic artery both proximal and distal to the aneurysm, closure of the communication between the common hepatic duct and the aneurysm, and choledochal drainage. Hemobilia secondary to hepatic artery aneurysm must be considered in thedifferential diagnosis of unexplained gastrointestinal hemorrhage.