IgG4-related intrahepatic sclerosing cholangitis resulting in sepsis caused by secondary suppurative inflammation: report of a case

We report a case of pre-disseminated intravascular coagulation caused by secondary suppurative inflammation in a patient with immunoglobulin (Ig) G4-related sclerosing cholangitis. The patient was a 78-year-old man in whom a localized stenosis of the intrahepatic bile duct was found without any other bile duct stricture or symptoms. He underwent surgical resection 6 months later for acute severe cholangitis and sepsis caused by bile duct obstruction. The resected specimen contained an abscess and nodulary mass in the liver. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed IgG4-positive plasma cell infiltration, whereby we diagnosed IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis. As IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis limited to within the intrahepatic portion is extremely rare, we present this case with a review of the literature.