Hemobilia Due to Cystic Artery Stump Pseudoaneurysm Following Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: Case Presentation and Literature Review

Abstract

Abstract Hemobilia is the process of bleeding into the biliary tree and is an unusual cause of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage. When this event results from a cystic artery pseudoaneurysm, it is a particularly rare phenomenon; fewer than 20 cases are described in the literature. Alongside the literature review, we report a case of a 34-year-old woman presenting 3 months post laparoscopic cholecystectomy with hematemesis. Computed tomography (CT) angiography revealed a cystic artery pseudoaneurysm. Following an ineffective hyperselective arterial embolization, the patient was successfully treated by surgical ligation of the right hepatic artery. Even though this complication is uncommon, all surgeons need to be aware of its presentation and of available therapeutic options.