Unusual case of liver cirrhosis presenting as a mass compressing the inferior vena cava: A case report

Abstract

Liver cirrhosis is a significant global health burden, accounting for approximately 2 million deaths per year worldwide. The underlying etiologies of cirrhosis include viral hepatitis (hepatitis B, C, and D), toxins (such as alcohol and drugs), autoimmune diseases, cholestatic conditions (including primary biliary cholangitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis), vascular disorders (such as Budd-Chiari syndrome, sinusoidal obstruction syndrome, and cardiac cirrhosis), and metabolic disorders (including hemochromatosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency). Patients with liver cirrhosis typically present with symptoms such as jaundice, scleral icterus, nausea, and vomiting, accompanied by abnormal liver enzyme levels. Other defining features include spider angiomas, caput medusa, and esophageal and/or rectal varices. Abdominal imaging often reveals fibrotic changes within the liver.

In this article, we present a case of a 38-year-old female presenting with signs and symptoms of cirrhosis, with subsequent imaging revealing a Porta hepatis mass compressing the inferior vena cava (IVC). The patient underwent a biopsy consistent with liver cirrhosis. This case is unique in the presentation of her liver cirrhosis as a compressive mass rather than the usual fibrotic changes within the liver parenchyma.