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Hepatocellular carcinoma in situs ambiguus: CT findings of a rare disposition

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Abstract

Heterotaxic disorders or situs ambiguus are uncommon anatomical variations constituted by a partial mirror-image disposition of intra thoracic and/or abdominal solid organs. These variations are challenging because rarely met in a surgeon’s career, and because of the coexistence of numerous other anatomical variants, like ones related to the asymmetrical organs, causing difficulties when a surgical management is required. We report the case of a 57-year-old patient presenting liver cirrhosis in which regular follow-up discovered a hepatocellular carcinoma of the right part of the liver associated to numerous anatomical variations in the setting of a situs ambiguus. This patient was successfully treated by a sub-segmentectomy via a right sub-costal laparotomy. There were neither peroperative nor postoperative complications. This case emphasizes the technical difficulties faced, successfully managed thanks to a good preoperative screening, and allows us to review literature of such a rare and challenging situation.

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Aknowledgments

Authors would like to thank Dr. Guiddo LIDDO and Prof. Philippe ZERBIB for their guidance and advices.

Conflict of interest

Authors have no conflict of interest to declare in relation with this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service de Chirurgie Digestive et Transplantations, Hopital Claude Huriez, CHU, Univ Nord de France, 59000, Lille, France

    Anne-Claire Deshorgue, Ahmed Fouad Bouras, Francesco Riva, Emmanuel Boleslawski, François-René Pruvot & Stéphanie Truant

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  1. Anne-Claire Deshorgue
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  2. Ahmed Fouad Bouras
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  3. Francesco Riva
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  4. Emmanuel Boleslawski
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  5. François-René Pruvot
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  6. Stéphanie Truant
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Correspondence to Ahmed Fouad Bouras.

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Deshorgue, AC., Bouras, A.F., Riva, F. et al. Hepatocellular carcinoma in situs ambiguus: CT findings of a rare disposition. Surg Radiol Anat 37, 419–424 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-014-1322-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-014-1322-6

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