Epithelial liver hamartoma, systemic arterial hypertension and renin hypersecretion

The case of a 14-year old girl presenting with headaches, severe progressive hypertension and high plasma renin levels, in whom a voluminous epithelial liver hamartoma or adenoma was discovered at surgery is documented. The morphological characteristics of the hamartomatous abnormality are described and evidences are put forward which would suggest that the liver lesion might have been the site of the abnormal renin production which was responsible for the systemic arterial hypertension.