Bile duct hamartoma

Bile Duct Hamartoma
Synonyms	Von Meyenburg complex
Pronounce	N/A
Specialty	N/A
Symptoms	Usually asymptomatic
Complications	Rarely, cholangiocarcinoma
Onset	Congenital
Duration	Lifelong
Types	N/A
Causes	Developmental malformation
Risks	None known
Diagnosis	Histopathology
Differential diagnosis	Liver metastasis, Bile duct adenoma
Prevention	N/A
Treatment	None required
Medication	N/A
Prognosis	Excellent
Frequency	Common
Deaths	N/A

Bile duct hamartomas, also known as von Meyenburg complexes, are benign liver lesions that are typically asymptomatic and discovered incidentally during imaging or histopathological examination. These lesions are considered to be developmental malformations of the biliary tree.

Pathophysiology

Bile duct hamartomas are composed of irregularly dilated bile ducts embedded in a fibrous stroma. They are thought to arise from disordered embryological development of the intrahepatic bile ducts.

Clinical Presentation

Most individuals with bile duct hamartomas are asymptomatic. These lesions are usually found incidentally during imaging studies such as ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI performed for other reasons. Rarely, they may be associated with polycystic liver disease or Caroli's disease.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of bile duct hamartomas is often made histologically. On histopathology, they appear as small, well-circumscribed lesions with dilated bile ducts and fibrous stroma. They must be differentiated from other liver lesions such as liver metastases or bile duct adenomas.

Treatment

No treatment is necessary for bile duct hamartomas, as they are benign and do not cause symptoms. Regular monitoring is not required unless there are other liver conditions present.

Prognosis

The prognosis for individuals with bile duct hamartomas is excellent. These lesions do not progress to malignancy and do not affect liver function.

See Also

• Cholangiocarcinoma
• Polycystic liver disease
• Caroli's disease

External Links

• Wikimd - Bile Duct Hamartoma

• Bile duct hamartoma
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  Histopathology of a bile duct hamartoma, low magnification

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  Histopathology of a bile duct hamartoma, high magnification

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  Von Meyenburg complex cropped

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  Bile duct hamartoma intermediate magnification

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  Bile duct hamartoma high magnification

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  Von Meyenburg complex low magnification

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  Von Meyenburg komplex