HEPATIC ADENOMA

Course overview

HEPATIC ADENOMAS, ALSO CALLED HEPATOCELLULAR ADENOMAS, ARE RARE BUT BENIGN EPITHELIAL TUMORS OF THE LIVER FREQUENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH ORAL CONTRACEPTIVE PILL USE. THEY ARE ALSO SEEN IN PATIENTS TREATED WITH ANABOLIC STEROIDS FOR ATHLETIC ENHANCEMENT, FANCONI ANEMIA, OR APLASTIC ANEMIA. ALTHOUGH BENIGN, THEY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH RISKS OF HEMORRHAGE AND MALIGNANT TRANSFORMATION. ELECTIVE RESECTION IS RECOMMENDED IN ALL MEN WITH ADENOMAS AND IN WOMEN WITH ADENOMAS GREATER THAN 5 CM. HEPATIC ADENOMA RUPTURE LEADS TO SEVERE ABDOMINAL PAIN AND HYPOTENSION AND/OR SHOCK, PARTICULARLY IN PATIENTS USING ORAL CONTRACEPTIVE PILLS. THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON EVENT AND CAN BE ASSOCIATED WITH SIGNIFICANT MORTALITY REQUIRING IMMEDIATE RECOGNITION. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF HEPATIC ADENOMA AND REVIEWS THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM'S ROLE IN EVALUATING AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.