Spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma

Spontaneous rupture of a primary hepatocellular carcinoma is an extremely rare event in the western hemisphere. Only a handful of single-case reports have been authored in the continental United States. A ruptured hepatoma carries a dismal prognosis and is usually beyond a "resection for cure" stage. In this report, two cases of spontaneously ruptured primary hepatocellular carcinoma are described. Both cases involved cirrhotic livers, and the tumor in each case was resected to attempt cure. One patient survived nearly 2 years; the other is alive and well at this time.