Early profound jaundice following blunt hepatic trauma: resolution after lobectomy
Duron, J.J.; Keilani, K.; Jost, J.; Riou, B.
Journal of Trauma 37(5): 872-873
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-5282 PMID: 7848455 Document Number: 425461
The patient presented herein was seen and evaluated following a motor vehicle crash. Although hemodynamically stable, he was found to have a liver injury and orthopedic trauma. Following admission he developed rapidly deepening jaundice. Radiographic studies demonstrated biliary pooling in the left lobe without antegrade obstruction. After a left hepatic lobectomy steady improvement in his hyperbilirubinemia was seen. Despite our inability to identify a communication anatomically in the resected specimen, one explanation considered was a traumatic fistulization between a biliary radical and an hepatic vein.