Liver failure and the sea-blue histocyte/adult niemann-pick disease: Case report and review of the literature

Niemann–Pick disease is a metabolic disorder resulting in accumulation of sphingomyelin in visceral organs. The adult form (type B) is characterized by the sparing of brain involvement, allowing those affected to have a relatively benign course. Although the abnormal lipid accumulation in the liver is commonly recognized, hepatocellular compromise is extremely rare. We describe a patient with adult Niemann–Pick disease who over the course of over 35 years developed hepatic failure and portal hypertension, and we review the literature regarding hepatic involvement in this rare disease.