Treatment of primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumors with associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS): A case report and literature review

RATIONALE: Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumors (PHNETs) are extremely rare and are difficult to diagnose preoperatively.We report a case of PHNET diagnosed preoperatively and successfully resected using associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS). PATIENT CONCERNS: A 72-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for a hepatic mass, which was incidentally identified during a routine health checkup. The patient has no other obvious symptoms of discomfort. DIAGNOSES: Physical examination revealed a palpable mass in the right upper quadrant of her abdomen. Dynamic contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed a low-density mass measuring 13 × 7 × 6 cm in both, the right and left hepatic lobes. (18)F-fluorodesoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)F-FDG PET) and fused PET/CT showed increased uptake by the mass, which was indicative of a hepatic tumor. INTERVENTIONS: We use a novel ALPPS surgical procedure to safely and radically remove primary neuroendocrine tumors. OUTCOMES: No postoperative bleeding and bile leakage were reported, and the patient recovered uneventfully.The patient was followed-up for a year without recurrence. LESSONS: PHNETs are rare tumors, and confirming the diagnosis using the best possible preoperative examination is important. An optimal treatment plan is selected based on the patient's condition to ensure a favorable prognosis. Tumors too large to undergo surgical removal can be resected using the ALPPS procedure, as described in this case report.