Hemoperitoneum caused by spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma in noncirrhotic liver. A case report and systematic review

Introduction - Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer. Spontaneous rupture of HCC is an acute complication with a high mortality rate. The HCC principally arises in the background of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis of the liver. In the last few years, the rising incidence of HCC in noncirrhotic liver suggests the presence of other factors that may play a role in liver carcinogenesis. Methods - We reviewed all cases treated at the University Surgical Department of Ospedali Riuniti of Foggia from 2009 to 2018. Only a single case of hemoperitoneum caused by spontaneous rupture of HCC in noncirrhotic liver was found. An extensive search of the relevant literature was carried out using MEDLINE, and a total of 58 published studies were screened from the sources listed. Conclusions - The management of this devastating emergency should be carefully analyzed, with stabilization of vital signs as soon as possible. Patient with ruptured HCC and hemoperitoneum without a prior history of cirrhosis and viral infections benefited from the role of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) as the preliminary treatment in order to have a more precise diagnosis and an optimal stabilization of the patient. Delayed or staged hepatectomy after TAE represents the definitive treatment.