Three Cases of Proper Hepatic Artery Injury

Abstract

Injury to the proper hepatic artery occurs accidentally in abdominal trauma, lymph node resection of upper abdominal organs and so on. We describe three cases of injury to the proper hepatic artery. These injuries caused by trauma or intraoperative procedures. Postoperative angiographies revealed collaterals mainly from the hepaticoduodenal ligament. No patient had hepatic failure, but one of them had postoperative cholecystitis and an other had liver cirrhosis 10 years later. We conclude that ligation of the proper hepatic artery is permitted as long as a collateral circulation pathway is maintained. But after ligation, efforts to prevent liver failure and gall bladder necrosis and a long term follow-up are needed.