Spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma of the caudate lobe

A rare case of ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) of the caudate lobe is reported. A 67-year-old man came to the hospital with complaints of abdominal pain and distension. Computed tomography (CT) showed haemoperitoneum and a mass in the caudate lobe. Angiography demonstrated a tumor stain. However, extravasation of the contrast medium was not clear. Although transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) was performed, bleeding from the tumor could not be controlled. The caudate lobe, including the tumor, was resected. The patient died of multiple organ failure despite intensive care. This case suggests that TAE is not always effective and may not be safely or easily performed when treating ruptured HCC in the caudate lobe. This is attributed to the multiple feeding arteries of the tumor, derived from the proximal portion of the right and left hepatic arteries. If bleeding from the ruptured HCC in the caudate lobe is not controlled, immediate resection of the tumor is recommended.