[Case Report of Liver Rupture with Fulminant HELLP Syndrome in the 37th Gestational Week]

HELLP syndrome, characterized by the triad of hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes due to liver impairment, and low platelet count, is a hypertensive disorder in pregnancy. Although it is said to be caused by disturbed placentation in the first trimester, its clinical presentation can be seen mostly in the third trimester, but never before the completed 20^th gestational week. Predictive for its diagnosis is the reported upper abdominal pain that normally is localized under the right arc of ribs. With the aid of laboratory examination, the suspected diagnosis can be confirmed or excluded. Therapeutic options are observational treatment with the prophylaxis of respiratory distress syndrome and attempting to prolong pregnancy with the help of steroids like dexamethasone, or delivering the infant by inducing labor or performing a primary caesarian section, depending on the gestational week. Delivery is the unique causal therapy of HELLP syndrome. Clinical management is mainly influenced by the course of HELLP syndrome. There are mild forms that allow prolonging the pregnancy for several days or sometimes weeks, but also foudroyant courses with acute liver damage. We report the case of a 40-year-old, gravida 1 woman in gestational week 36+1 who was brought to our hospital in hemorrhagic shock caused by a rupture of the liver due to acute HELLP-syndrome.