A case of biliary cystic tumor with repeated hemobilia

Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) is classified as a biliary cystic tumor with a tendency of causing obstruction. Neoplastic cases involving hemobilia are rarely reported. We herein describe a case of biliary cystic tumor with repeated hemobilia. A 57-year-old woman was histologically diagnosed with cavernous hemangioma. During the follow-up period after transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE), she experienced repeated hemobilia, and multiple other TAE sessions were performed for hemostasis. She was referred to our hospital 8 years after the first surgery owing to a growing tumor. Histopathological examination after extended right hepatectomy and caudate lobectomy indicated IPNB with an associated invasive carcinoma. Six months thereafter, computed tomography revealed a recurrent liver tumor and a nodule in the abdominal cavity. She died 36 months after the second surgery, despite chemotherapy. Our experience suggests that IPNB should be considered during differential diagnosis of dilated hepatobiliary tumors with hemobilia.