Ruptured hepatic artery aneurysm presenting as abdominal pain: a case report

Aneurysms of the hepatic artery are rare. This patient presented to the emergency department with severe epigastric pain and subsequently became haemodynamically unstable. Plain abdominal radiograph showed a ring lesion in the right upper quadrant, ultrasound scan demonstrated a mass with arterial blood flow, and computed tomography revealed a left hepatic artery aneurysm. At surgery, the ruptured aneurysm was identified and the left hepatic artery was successfully ligated. Prompt diagnosis is of paramount importance and crucial information may be gleamed from investigations in the emergency department. If a ruptured aneurysm is diagnosed, we recommend prompt referral to a surgical team for definitive management.