[Selective intra-arterial embolization in spontaneous rupture of hepatocarcinoma]

We present the case of a patient with no previous history of liver disease, who required urgent medical care due to dizziness and hypotension. A diagnosis of hemoperitoneum was made by means of ultrasound and fine needle aspiration. The hemoperitoneum source was the spontaneous rupture of a liver tumor whose CT axial scan appearance was suggestive of hepatocarcinoma. The hemorrhage was controlled using intraarterial selective embolization. The rupture of a hepatocarcinoma is a surgical emergency with high mortality. Its early detection using an adequate diagnostic sequence, allows the surgeon to establish a therapeutic procedure as soon possible. Selective intraarterial embolization with alcohol has proved to be an effective procedure in the management of this kind of hemorrhage with a minimum surgical preparation, and allows further surgical interventions. Nevertheless mortality is still high due to the severity of the clinical entity.