Ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma following transcatheter arterial chemoembolization.

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is known to be an effective palliative treatment in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although TACE can control tumour growth and palliate the patients, complications of TACE with significant morbidity are well known and adversely affect the outcome of patients. Necrotic tumor rupture is a serious complication of TACE and has a high mortality rate. We report a case of ruptured HCC following TACE in a 78-year-old male patient who subsequently developed peritonitis and pneumoperitoneum. This case gives us the opportunity to underline the importance of such complications and demonstrates the utility of CT imaging for diagnosis and management of patients with ruptured HCC.