Spontaneous hepatic artery thrombosis with infarction of the liver

Extensive infarction of the liver, initially thought to be halothane hepatitis, is described. The patient developed severe right upper quadrant abdominal pain and abnormal liver function tests after amputation of the leg. The correct diagnosis was made by percutaneous needle biopsy of the liver which demonstrated a large area of avascular necrosis. The patient recovered, indicating the remarkable ability of the liver to maintain function despite ischemic injury. The patient died later from an acute myocardial infarction, and at autopsy thrombosis of the hepatic artery and multiple hepatic infarcts were confirmed.