Vanishing bile duct syndrome in Hodgkin's disease: case report

• Main Author: Rossini, Marta Soares
• Publication Date: 2000
• Other Authors: Lorand-Metze, Irene, Oliveira, Gislaine Borba, Souza, Cármino Antonio De
• Format: Article
• Language: eng
• Source: São Paulo medical journal (Online)
• Download full: https://periodicosapm.emnuvens.com.br/spmj/article/view/2682
• topic: Doença de Hodgkin; Síndrome do desaparecimento dos dutos biliares; Falência hepática; Hodgkin's disease; Vanishing bile duct syndrome; Liver failure

CONTEXT: Liver damage is relatively common in patients affected by Hodgkin's disease. A smaller proportion of cases develops jaundice. Recently, the vanishing bile duct syndrome was described in Hodgkin's disease. The mechanisms of this severe complication have been poorly understood until now. OBJECTIVE: To describe a rare case of intra-hepatic cholestasis due to vanishing bile duct syndrome. DESIGN: Case report. CASE REPORT: A 38-year-old male patient affected by Hodgkin's disease. Liver biopsy showed no detectable Hodgkin's disease. Intra-hepatic cholestasis was found and none of the six portal tracts analyzed contained normal bile ducts. The treatment was based on conventional and high-dose escalation chemotherapy. The patient died from an irreversible liver failure while in complete remission from Hodgkin's disease.