[Agenesis of the right lobe of the liver. Apropos of a case].

The authors report a case of agenesis of the right lobe of the liver, only thirty two cases of which have been reported in the literature since 1870. The differential diagnosis consists of advanced cirrhosis, portal hypertension, neoplastic infiltration of the porta hepatis, gallstones or surgical resection. Agenesis is due to arrest of hepatic development during foetal life. It is generally symptomatic, but may sometimes present in the form of biliary type pain in the right hypochondrium or portal hypertension and may be associated with other anomalies (retrohepatic gallbladder, common bile duct cyst, aplasia of part of the diaphragm, intrathoracic kidney).