Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Severe acute haemorrhagic liver failure in a neonate with a favourable spontaneous outcome

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Pediatric Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Acute liver failure in neonates is rare and is frequently associated with an unfavourable outcome. There is no curative treatment other than liver transplantation. Screening for viral, metabolic, toxic or vascular disease is essential to assess the prognosis and to guide specific treatment. Hepatic haemorrhage in neonates is often associated with bacterial infection, trauma and coagulopathies. We present a unique case of neonatal acute liver failure and multifocal massive haemorrhagic intrahepatic lesions of traumatic origin, documented by US and MRI. The patient made a spontaneous recovery. Clinical, biological and imaging outcome was excellent despite the apparent severity of the initial features. The only possible aetiology was a difficult caesarean delivery for mild fetal macrosomia.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Dhawan A, Mieli-Vergani G (2005) Acute liver failure in neonates. Early Hum Dev 81:1005–1010

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Singer DB, Neave C, Oyer CE et al (1999) Hepatic subcapsular hematomas in fetuses and neonatal infants. Pediatr Dev Pathol 2:215–220

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Maze A, Lieber M, Aballi A (1979) Neonatal subcapsular hematoma of the liver presenting as an abdominal mass. Clin Pediatr (Phila) 18:307, 311–312

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Costa S, De Carolis MP, Savarese I et al (2008) Hepatic hematoma in a neonate with a high level of alpha-fetoprotein. Eur J Pediatr 167:591–593

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Amodio J, Fefferman N, Rivera R et al (2004) Idiopathic intraparenchymal hematoma of the liver in a neonate. Pediatr Radiol 34:358–361

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Lim-Dunham JE, Vade A, Capitano HN et al (2007) Characteristic sonographic findings of hepatic erosion by umbilical vein catheters. J Ultrasound Med 26:661–666

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Bracero LA, Gambon TB, Evans R et al (1995) Ultrasonographic findings in a case of congenital peliosis hepatitis. J Ultrasound Med 14:483–486

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Mouratidis B, Antonio G (2000) Sonographic diagnosis of subcapsular liver hematoma mimicking tumor in a neonate. J Clin Ultrasound 28:53–57

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service de Radiologie, Hôpital d’enfants Armand-Trousseau, Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris VI, 26–28 Avenue du docteur Arnold Netter, 75571, Paris Cedex 12, France

    Madeleine Cavet, Marie Balu, Catherine Garel & Hubert Ducou le Pointe

  2. Service de Néonatologie, Hôpital d’enfants Armand-Trousseau, Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris VI, Paris, France

    Delphine Mitanchez & Marie Alexandre

  3. Service de Réanimation, Hôpital d’enfants Armand-Trousseau, Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris VI, Paris, France

    Sylvain Renolleau

  4. Service de Radiologie Pédiatrique, Hôpital de Bicêtre, Paris, France

    Danièle Pariente

Authors
  1. Madeleine Cavet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Marie Balu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Catherine Garel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Delphine Mitanchez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Sylvain Renolleau
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Marie Alexandre
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Danièle Pariente
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Hubert Ducou le Pointe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Catherine Garel.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cavet, M., Balu, M., Garel, C. et al. Severe acute haemorrhagic liver failure in a neonate with a favourable spontaneous outcome. Pediatr Radiol 38, 1130–1133 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-008-0936-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-008-0936-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation