Delayed gastric perforation following transarterial chemoembolization: Case report

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is widely employed to control acute bleeding in ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (rHCC). Ischemia leading to perforation of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) after TACE is a rare complication. We report a patient who presented with rHCC and who suffered gastric perforation post-TACE.

A 70-year-old woman presented with rHCC. Emergency TACE was undertaken to control bleeding, and was successful. The patient was discharged 5 days post TACE. Two weeks after TACE, she presented with acute abdominal pain. Computed tomography of the abdomen showed perforation at the lesser curvature of the stomach. The angiogram from TACE was reviewed: the small vessels from an accessory branch of the left gastric artery originating from the left hepatic artery that had been embolized were likely responsible for gastric ischemia and subsequent perforation. The patient underwent operation with simple closure and omental patch repair. Postoperative gastric leak was not observed. Unfortunately, the patient died due to severe decompensated liver disease ∼4 weeks after TACE.

Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) perforation after TACE is a rare complication. We suspected that perforation of the lesser curve of the stomach was secondary to ischemia due to non-target embolization to the accessory branch of the left gastric artery from the left hepatic artery, combined with stress and hemodynamic instability from rHCC.

rHCC is a life-threatening condition. Variation in vascular structures must be clarified carefully. Significant adverse events in the GIT post-TACE are rare, but high-risk patients must be cautiously monitored.