Hepatic Rupture Associated With HELLP (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver Enzymes, and Low Platelets) Syndrome: A Report of Two Cases and Literature Review

Abstract

Hepatic rupture is a rare complication of severe preeclampsia. A high index of suspicion is required in the presence of abdominal pain accompanied by hemodynamic decompensation in a pregnant woman. Hepatic rupture constitutes a medical emergency that demands immediate intervention, often with the support of other medical disciplines, in a highly specialized hospital setting. Unruptured hepatic hematomas can be managed conservatively. Immediate delivery and surgical repair of the liver are necessary for maternal survival. Spontaneous liver rupture in pregnancy is often unrecognized, highly lethal, and not completely understood with few cases having been reported in the literature. Therefore, we present two cases of HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets) syndrome with hepatic rupture, emphasizing their clinical presentation and therapeutic approaches.