BACKGROUND: Aneurysms of visceral arteries are rare, but in case of rupture, they are potentially life threatening. In addition, there is a broad spectrum of the anatomic variability for the arterial supply of the liver. METHODS: Based on a real but very rare clinical case, including its diagnostic management and short-term course, the extraordinary coincidence of (i) an aneurysm of the gastroduodenal artery at its branching off from the hepatic artery and (ii) occurrence of hepatomesenteric trunk is described by the means of a scientific medical case report as well as an adequate and selective literature search. CASE PRESENTATION, THERAPEUTIC DECISION AND CLINICAL COURSE: A 39-year-old woman (BMI, 24 kg/m) was diagnosed (by coincidence) with an aneurysm of the proper hepatic artery (APHA) with overlap to the gastroduodenal artery in combination with an uncommon hepatomesenteric trunk using abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan (because of slight but recurrent episodes of urinary tract diseases) and, subsequently, systematic diagnostic comprising Duplex ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and conventional angiography. However, medical history was not significant for coincidence with possibly relevant chronic occlusive disease, mycotic embolization, trauma, Marfan syndrome, Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome or giant cell arteritis. Despite a moderate progression within a year to a size of actually 18 mm, we still favor watchful-waiting at this size (therapeutic [interventional] consequence, size > 20 mm) with short-term intervals for follow-up investigations using Duplex ultrasonography as the method of choice. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first case in the accessible English-speaking literature to show this very infrequent coincidence especially indicating rare appearance of an APHA in combination with an also infrequent hepatomesenteric trunk (which potentiates the uncommon occurrence of such combination) based on the high anatomic variability of the arterial supply of the liver from the anatomic perspective.
BACKGROUND:Aneurysms of visceral arteries are rare, but in case of rupture, they are potentially life threatening. In addition, there is a broad spectrum of the anatomic variability for the arterial supply of the liver. METHODS: Based on a real but very rare clinical case, including its diagnostic management and short-term course, the extraordinary coincidence of (i) an aneurysm of the gastroduodenal artery at its branching off from the hepatic artery and (ii) occurrence of hepatomesenteric trunk is described by the means of a scientific medical case report as well as an adequate and selective literature search. CASE PRESENTATION, THERAPEUTIC DECISION AND CLINICAL COURSE: A 39-year-old woman (BMI, 24 kg/m) was diagnosed (by coincidence) with an aneurysm of the proper hepatic artery (APHA) with overlap to the gastroduodenal artery in combination with an uncommon hepatomesenteric trunk using abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan (because of slight but recurrent episodes of urinary tract diseases) and, subsequently, systematic diagnostic comprising Duplex ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and conventional angiography. However, medical history was not significant for coincidence with possibly relevant chronic occlusive disease, mycotic embolization, trauma, Marfan syndrome, Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome or giant cell arteritis. Despite a moderate progression within a year to a size of actually 18 mm, we still favor watchful-waiting at this size (therapeutic [interventional] consequence, size > 20 mm) with short-term intervals for follow-up investigations using Duplex ultrasonography as the method of choice. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first case in the accessible English-speaking literature to show this very infrequent coincidence especially indicating rare appearance of an APHA in combination with an also infrequent hepatomesenteric trunk (which potentiates the uncommon occurrence of such combination) based on the high anatomic variability of the arterial supply of the liver from the anatomic perspective.