Retroperitoneal haemorrhage in renal angiomyolipoma causing hepatic functional decompensation: a case report

Renal angiomyolipomata usually present as incidental findings on routine imaging, but rarely they may give rise to significant haemorrhage. If bleeding occurs, first-line treatment is currently angiography with selective embolisation. Prophylactic embolisation may be considered in some cases, depending on lesion size and patient co-morbidities. We present a case of retroperitoneal bleeding from a renal angiomyolipoma in a patient with known cirrhosis of the liver, which caused acute deterioration of liver function and consequent hepatic encephalopathy. Selective embolisation of the lesion was performed with a good subsequent outcome. Such functional hepatic decompensation has not previously been reported in this context and we suggest the use of prophylactic embolisation for incidental renal angiomyolipomata, regardless of size, in all patients with chronic liver disease to prevent this potentially life-threatening complication.