Spontaneous Rupture of a Hepatic Adenoma: Diagnostic Nuances and the Necessity of Followup

We present the case of a young female on oral contraceptives (OCs) who was diagnosed with focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) and remained on oral contraceptives. Months later, the patient presented with acute abdominal pain and intratumoral hemorrhage in the liver. The patient was taken to the operating room (OR) and was diagnosed with a ruptured hepatic adenoma (HA). We review the key diagnostic features of FNH and HA, the different management guidelines including use of OCs, and potential surgical indications. HA compared to FNH has a significantly higher rate of sequelae despite being a benign lesion, thus providers must accurately distinguish between the two diagnoses to prevent potential morbidity and mortality.