Obstructive jaundice secondary to hepatoma. Case report and literature review

A 67-year old male, who presented a clinical picture of obstructive jaundice with cholangitis, was found to have hepatoma tumor embolus blocking the common duct. The site of invasion was the right hepatic duct. There are 15 such cases reported in the literature. Hepatoma rarely presents with obstructive jaundice. A clinical picture of biliary colic or cholangitis is frequently misleading. Invasion of a hepatic duct large enough to allow formation of a tumor embolus implies tumor close to the bifurcation of right and left hepatic ducts and has precluded effective surgical treatment in all but one case.