Abstract
A 52-year-old male was admitted to our emergency room with the sudden onset of right upper abdominal pain. There was no history of trauma. The general condition of the patient was stable, but an abdominal CT scan revealed hemoperitoneum and an enhanced tumor in the left lateral segment of the liver, 7 cm in diameter, associated with extravasation of the contrast medium. Spontaneous rupture of a hepatic hemangioma was diagnosed and transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) was performed. In order to avoid the risk of re-bleeding, lateral segmentectomy of the liver was performed 21 days after TAE. Histological findings were compatible with cavernous hemangiomas. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged from the hospital 13 days after the operation. Spontaneous rupture of a hepatic hemangioma is very rare, but could be associated with the mortality of 3 %. Ruptured hemangioma should be treated with TAE to achieve hemostasis followed by elective hepatectomy.
