Detection of hepatocellular carcinoma during Fontan-associated liver disease follow-up: a report of three cases

We herein demonstrate three patients diagnosed with early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during follow-up for Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD). Case 1: Twenty-one years after undergoing the Fontan procedure, a 26-year-old female was diagnosed with FALD. At the initial consultation, her serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were markedly elevated, and dynamic enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed HCC measuring 40 mm in diameter. She underwent partial hepatectomy. Ten months later, she underwent conventional transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (cTACE) for recurrent HCC near the resected hepatic stump as a curative treatment. Case 2: Twenty-one years after undergoing the Fontan procedure, a 25-year-old male was diagnosed with FALD and underwent HCC surveillance every 6 months. Thirteen months after the initial consultation, dynamic enhanced CT revealed HCC measuring 10 mm in diameter. He received cTACE as a curative treatment. Case 3. Twenty-eight years after undergoing the Fontan procedure, a 37-year-old male was diagnosed with FALD and underwent HCC surveillance every 3 months. Fourteen months later, abdominal ultrasonography (US) revealed HCC measuring 13 mm in diameter. He received radiofrequency ablation. These cases showed that HCC surveillance using abdominal US and AFP measurements in patients with FALD enables the detection of HCC and increases the chance of a cure.