Biliary hamartoma: a report of two cases

Abstract

Biliary hamartoma, also known as biliary micro hamartoma or Von Meyenburg complex, is a rare benign liver lesion, thought to be a ductal plate malformation rather than a true neoplasm. It is often seen incidentally on imagery or surgery as multiple small subcapsular nodules, scattered throughout the liver, making it likely to be mistaken for metastatic nodules. The histological presentation can also be deceptive, leading to the misdiagnosis of an adenocarcinoma of hepato-biliary differentiation or a metastasis. We hereby present two cases of biliary hamartoma, found incidentally on imagery and surgery, the first one in a 94-year-old woman, and the second in a 48-year-old man, which was initially misdiagnosed as an adenocarcinoma, along with a discussion of key clinical and pathological findings to help avoid this diagnostic pitfall.