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Ectopic intracardiac liver tissue masquerading as a right atrial myxoma.

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Intracardiac ectopic hepatic tissue is a very rare finding, with a majority of cases being misdiagnosed as right atrial myxomas on echocardiography. We present the case of a 41-year-old female patient diagnosed with a right atrial myxoma, which on postoperative histopathological evaluation revealed itself to be ectopic intracardiac liver tissue. This case report highlights the possible factors that can help alleviate the diagnosis of such a case prior to any intervention so that one can customize a strategic approach towards its management.

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  • Cite Count Icon 30
  • 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2009.10.010
Accessory Lobe of Right Liver Mimicking a Pulmonary Tumor in an Adult Male
  • Jan 22, 2010
  • The Annals of Thoracic Surgery
  • Wang Yi + 5 more

Accessory Lobe of Right Liver Mimicking a Pulmonary Tumor in an Adult Male

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  • Cite Count Icon 12
  • 10.1016/j.ijscr.2020.01.014
Case report of ectopic hepatic tissue, a rare finding during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy
  • Jan 1, 2020
  • International Journal of Surgery Case Reports
  • Afrim Avdaj + 3 more

IntroductionEctopic hepatic tissue is due to an uncommon failure of embryological liver development. The incidence of ectopic liver has been reported to be anywhere from 0.24% to 0.47% and a prevalence rate of 0.47% as diagnosed at laparotomy or laparoscopy. We report a case of Ectopic Hepatic tissue attached to the gallbladder wall that was discovered during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Case reportA 47 year-old women presented to the surgery department with abdominal acute pain. The patient was taken for a standard laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The gallbladder was retracted cephalad while Hartmann’s pouch was retracted laterally. It was then noted that an ectopic tissue was present on the gallbladder wall. The patient recovered well after surgery, had no complications and was discharged the day after surgery. DiscussionEctopic hepatic tissue is a rare condition. The real incidence of ectopic hepatic tissue attached to the gallbladder wall is difficult to assess but is reportedly 0.24–0.47% of the population. Ectopic hepatic tissue attached to the gallbladder usually remains asymptomatic and is occasionally discovered during laparoscopy, as was the case with the patient in the present report. In this case presented, the histopathological examination of specimen was confirmed to be ectopic liver tissue without hepatocellular carcinoma. ConclusionIt is important to be vigilant of ectopic hepatic tissue, their complications, and the potential surgical, including increased operative time and the need to follow up on such patients to rule out any possible complications.

  • Research Article
  • Cite Count Icon 101
  • 10.1097/01.meg.0000131037.92864.df
Ectopic liver and hepatocarcinogenesis.
  • Aug 1, 2004
  • European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology
  • Christine Pj Caygill + 1 more

Hepatocellular carcinomata are relatively rare in the western hemisphere, but they are much more common in South-East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa due to high endogenous levels of hepatitis B and C. Ectopic liver tissue usually is found incidentally (frequently at cholecystectomy), but it may also be found due to neoplastic changes or compressive effects. Ectopic liver tissue has an increased neoplastic potential over orthotopic liver, which we postulate is due to compromised vascular supply and biliary drainage. These lesions may be susceptible to surgical resection, although long-term follow-up data are poor. Ectopic or accessory liver tissue is a rare condition. Most commonly, it is found incidentally, but it may also be found as a result of neoplasia or compressive effects. These lesions appear to have an increased potential for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in the absence of malignancy in the mother liver. Due to their anatomical features, these carcinomata appear to be susceptible to curative resection, although long-term follow-up data are poor. These carcinomata have been reported more frequently from South-East Asia than from Western countries; however, the common risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma, such as infection with hepatitis B or C and cirrhosis, appear to be less implicated than in carcinomata of the orthotopic liver. In ectopic or accessory liver tissue, development of hepatocellular carcinoma may be the result of compromised vascular supply or biliary drainage.

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  • Cite Count Icon 31
  • 10.4240/wjgs.v12.i12.534
Ectopic liver tissue (choristoma) on the gallbladder: A comprehensive literature review
  • Dec 27, 2020
  • World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery
  • Sami Akbulut + 7 more

BACKGROUNDLiver tissue situated outside the liver with a hepatic connection is usually called an accessory liver, and that without a connection to the mother liver, is called ectopic liver tissue. AIMTo identify studies in the literature on ectopic liver tissue located on the gallbladder surface or mesentery. METHODSWe present two patients and review published articles on ectopic liver tissue located on the gallbladder surface accessed via PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Google databases. Keywords used included accessory liver lobe, aberrant liver tissue, ectopic liver tissue, ectopic liver nodule, heterotopic liver tissue, hepatic choristoma, heterotopic liver tissue on the gallbladder, and ectopic liver tissue on the gallbladder. The search included articles published before June 2020 with no language restriction. Letters to the editor, case reports, review articles, original articles, and meeting presentations were included in the search. Articles or abstracts containing adequate information on age, sex, history of liver disease, preliminary diagnosis, radiologic tools, lesion size, surgical indication, surgical procedure, and histopathological features of ectopic liver tissue were included in the study.RESULTSA total of 72 articles involving 91 cases of ectopic liver tissue located on the gallbladder surface or mesentery were analyzed. Of these 91 patients, 62 were female and 25 were male (no gender available for 4 patients), and the age range was 5 d to 91 years. Forty-nine patients underwent surgery for chronic cholecystitis or cholelithiasis, and 14 patients underwent surgery for acute cholecystitis. The remaining 28 patients underwent laparotomy for other reasons. Cholecystectomy was laparoscopic in 69 patients and open in 11 patients. The remaining 19 patients underwent various other surgical procedures such as autopsy, liver transplantation, living donor hepatectomy, Whipple procedure, and liver segment V resection. Histopathologically, hepatocellular carcinoma was detected in the ectopic liver tissue of one patient. CONCLUSIONEctopic liver tissue is a rare developmental anomaly which is usually detected incidentally. Although most studies suggest that ectopic liver located outside the gallbladder has a high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, this is not reflected in statistical analysis.

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  • Cite Count Icon 3
  • 10.1155/2019/1046909
Case Report on a Rare Intraoperative Finding of Ectopic Liver Tissue Attached to Gallbladder Wall during Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
  • Oct 15, 2019
  • Case Reports in Surgery
  • Mohamed Isa + 4 more

Introduction Ectopic liver is a rare finding (Corsy, 1922; Kubota et al., 2007) that is usually discovered intraoperatively or during an autopsy (Bassis and Izenstark, 1956). Preoperative diagnosis of ectopic liver is also uncommon. The most common site of ectopic liver is on the gall bladder, although there are reports of other sites such as the adrenal glands and esophagus. The management of ectopic liver is en-bloc resection due to the high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. Case Presentation We describe the case of a 42-year-old female who presented with recurrent abdominal pain. She was found to have a smooth fragment of a reddish brown tissue attached to the anterior surface of the gallbladder during an elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The tissue was removed with the gallbladder, and histopathology showed normal ectopic liver tissue. Conclusion Due to the possibility of malignant transformation into hepatocellular carcinoma, en-bloc resection is the choice of management.

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  • Jun 13, 2022
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  • Andrei Leucă + 5 more

Ectopic liver tissue represents a rare entity and is mostly attributed to events occurring during embryogenesis. Previous case reports documented the presence of fetal liver parenchyma within temporarily developed organs during pregnancy, such as the placenta or the umbilical cord. Moreover, the terminology of these benign findings varies from “ectopic liver” to “hepatocellular adenoma-like neoplasm” or “hepatocellular adenoma”. Ancillary tests performed on these lesions have shown positive immunohistochemical staining for hepatocellular origin marker HepPar-1. Only one recent case report comprising molecular analysis showed no beta-catenin gain-of-function mutation. We report a case of ectopic liver in one placenta of a twin pregnancy, with an updated review of literature.

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  • 10.26502/jsr.10020148
Gallbladder- associated ectopic liver tissue: Case Report
  • Jan 1, 2021
  • Journal of Surgery and Research
  • Mohamad Rakka + 4 more

Introduction: Ectopic liver tissue is a rare entity. It can be found in various organs of the body but the most common reported location is the gallbladder. The incidence is varying between 0.27% and 0.47%. Most of the cases are asymptomatic and diagnosed intra-operatively or during autopsy. We report a case of Gallbladder-Associated ectopic liver tissue that was encountered during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Case presentation: A 40-year-old female patient was admitted to the hospital for laparoscopic cholecystectomy for symptomatic gallstones, intra-operatively we found an ectopic liver tissue attached to the gallbladder wall. Cholecystectomy was performed and the patient was discharged home the day after surgery in good condition. The histopathological examination of the specimen was confirmed to be an ectopic liver tissue without signs of malignant transformation. Discussion: Ectopic liver tissue is a rare congenital anomaly. It is defined as the presence of liver tissue outside the native liver. It occurs due to a failure of embryological liver development and it can be found in various organs of the body but the most common reported location is the gallbladder. Ectopic liver tissue is found to be functionally handicapped and more vulnerable to carcinogens and it is strongly associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Conclusion: Although it is a rare condition, ectopic liver tissue may pose a challenge to surgeons. When encountered, a surgical excision with histopathological examination is recommended because of its serious complications and the potential risk of malignant transformation.

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Ectopic Liver Mimicking Neoplastic Lesions: Report of Five Patients and Literature Review.
  • Apr 15, 2025
  • International journal of surgical pathology
  • Ekta Jain + 8 more

Ectopic liver is a rare congenital anomaly characterized by the presence of liver tissue outside the normal liver without any direct connection to it. These lesions are usually detected incidentally during clinical evaluation for other issues. However, they sometimes mimic neoplastic lesions both clinically and radiologically, which poses diagnostic challenges. Here, we present 5 patients with ectopic liver, 4 of which mimicked neoplastic lesions. The first was a 54-year-old woman diagnosed with multiple liver lesions and an enlarged gastro-hepatic lymph node, suspected to be a primary hepatic neoplasm with metastasis. Upon resection, it was found to be a hepatocellular adenoma in the liver and intraabdominal ectopic liver tissue with a small hepatocellular adenoma. Patient 2 was a 36-year-old woman presenting with palpitations and shortness of breath. An echocardiogram revealed a right atrial mass, which was identified as ectopic liver upon microscopic examination. The third patient was a 57-year-old woman with intermittent abdominal pain who underwent cholecystectomy. Microscopy revealed ectopic liver tissue on the gallbladder's serosal surface, along with chronic cholecystitis. The fourth was a 36-year-old woman with a gallbladder polyp, which on microscopy revealed ectopic liver tissue with no other abnormalities in the gallbladder. The fifth patient was a 57-year-old woman presenting with shortness of breath, weakness, and right atrial mass, which was confirmed as ectopic liver. These patients illustrate varied presentations of ectopic liver, sometimes mimicking neoplasia. Hepatocellular adenomas arising in ectopic liver and ectopic liver in intracardiac locations are extremely rare and can be a diagnostic pitfall, as they can clinically, radiologically, and pathologically mimic serious conditions like neoplasia.

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  • Research Article
  • Cite Count Icon 28
  • 10.1186/1757-1626-2-6786
Ectopic Liver Tissue Attached to the Gallbladder Wall: a case report
  • Apr 29, 2009
  • Cases Journal
  • Ioannis Triantafyllidis + 7 more

IntroductionEctopic liver tissue is a rare entity, reported to occur in several intra-, retro- and extra- peritoneal sites, including the gallbladder. It is usually detected incidentally, during laparoscopy, laparotomy, or autopsy. Several possible mechanisms may explain the development of liver ectopia. Although ectopic liver tissue is usually asymptomatic, it behaves like orthotopic liver, developing the same pathologic conditions.Case presentationWe describe the case of a 54-year-old woman who was found to have a nodule attached to the gallbladder wall without any connection with the main liver, during an elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy for gallstone disease. The nodule was removed with the gallbladder and identified histologically as normal ectopic liver tissue.ConclusionIt would seem sensible to resect the ectopic tissue if encountered during cholecystectomy for gallstones. Laparoscopic management of ectopic liver can be feasible.

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  • Cite Count Icon 29
  • 10.1016/j.ijscr.2015.02.027
A rare condition: Ectopic liver tissue with its unique blood supply encountered during laparoscopic cholecystectomy
  • Jan 1, 2015
  • International Journal of Surgery Case Reports
  • Ahmet Bal + 9 more

A rare condition: Ectopic liver tissue with its unique blood supply encountered during laparoscopic cholecystectomy

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  • 10.17352/2455-2968.000165
Rare Case Reports on Ectopic Liver Tissue: Incidence, Surgical Management, and Outcomes
  • Oct 17, 2024
  • Journal of Surgery and Surgical Research
  • Touati Mohamed Dheker + 8 more

Introduction and importance: Ectopic liver tissue is a rare finding, often discovered incidentally during procedures like cholecystectomy. Understanding its clinical implications, including potential malignancy and complications, is crucial for effective management and improving patient outcomes. Case presentation: A 45-year-old female presented with six months of biliary colic, worsened by fatty meals. Preoperative ultrasound revealed a gallbladder with microcalculi. During elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a brownish tissue fragment resembling hepatic parenchyma was found on the gallbladder fundus and removed. Histopathology confirmed ectopic liver tissue with mild steatosis and no malignancy. Clinical discussion: Ectopic liver tissue, with a prevalence of 0.47%, typically attaches to the gallbladder but can also be found in other abdominal and thoracic locations. It may be linked to congenital malformations and has a risk of degeneration into malignancy due to its incomplete vascular and ductal system. Diagnosis is usually incidental during surgery, and en-bloc removal is advised to prevent complications and potential neoplastic transformation. Identifying its vascular supply before dissection is crucial to avoid severe bleeding. Conclusion: Ectopic liver tissue, despite its rarity, requires careful management due to its potential for malignancy and complications. Timely detection and en-bloc removal are vital to prevent adverse outcomes and ensure optimal patient care.

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  • Cite Count Icon 58
  • 10.1016/j.ijscr.2013.01.006
Gallbladder-associated ectopic liver: A rare finding during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy
  • Jan 1, 2013
  • International Journal of Surgery Case Reports
  • Carlos Augusto Real Martinez + 5 more

Gallbladder-associated ectopic liver: A rare finding during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy

  • Research Article
  • Cite Count Icon 3
  • 10.1016/j.case.2018.01.003
Right Atrial Myxoma and Chronic Transudative Ascites: A Rare and Challenging Clinical Presentation
  • May 1, 2018
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  • Mohammadbagher Sharifkazemi + 2 more

Right Atrial Myxoma and Chronic Transudative Ascites: A Rare and Challenging Clinical Presentation

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  • 10.7759/cureus.57088
Ectopic Liver Tissue on the Gallbladder Wall Encountered During Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.
  • Mar 27, 2024
  • Cureus
  • Hajime Imamura + 4 more

Ectopic liver tissue is a rare developmental anomaly that is not directly connected to the liver. We encountered ectopic liver tissue on the surface of the gallbladder wall during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. It has vasculature arising from the liver parenchyma and is classified according to its branching pattern. Ectopic liver tissue has been reported to occur in a variety of locations, and when encountered in surgery, it is clinically important to identify ectopic liver tissue with vascular supply to prevent unexpected bleeding. Ectopic liver tissue should be resected and examined histologically for the potential for malignancy when detected during surgical intervention.

  • Research Article
  • 10.1093/ajcp/aqaf121.126
124 Gallbladder Serosal Nodule Due to Ectopic Liver: A Diagnostic Pitfall Mimicking Cancer
  • Nov 1, 2025
  • American Journal of Clinical Pathology
  • Hareem Hamza + 2 more

Introduction/Objective Ectopic hepatic tissue is a rare anomaly resulting from abnormal embryological liver development, with an incidence ranging from 0.24% to 0.47%. It is typically discovered incidentally during surgery or autopsy. Awareness and careful monitoring of ectopic hepatic tissue and its potential complications are essential. Methods/Case Report A 70-year-old man presented with recurrent abdominal pain diagnosed as cholelithiasis with choledocholithiasis. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) showed a gallbladder serosal mass and endoscopic biopsy showed fibrous tissue. This prompted laparoscopic cholecystectomy. A 1.0 x 0.8 cm irregular, rubbery serosal nodule over the gallbladder was identified and diagnosed as benign ectopic liver tissue. Results NA Conclusion This rare entity has fewer than 100 reported cases. While the gallbladder is the most common site, ectopic liver tissue can also be found in locations such as the diaphragm, hepatic ligament, omental fat, stomach, and thorax which grossly mimic malignancy. Despite its histological resemblance to normal liver, it lacks metabolic function. Typically asymptomatic, it can lead to complications including torsion, hemorrhage, or malignant transformation. On biopsy, it may resemble hepatocellular carcinoma. Awareness of its presence is crucial for surgeons and pathologists to avoid misdiagnosis.

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