A Rare Cause of Haemorrhagic Shock: Rupture of Gastric Wall Seeding of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

Ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can lead to peritoneal dissemination. However, gastric wall seeding from HCC is exceedingly rare, and little is known about its clinical course. Herein, we report a case of an 88-year-old man who presented with a four-hour history of nausea, vomiting, and upper abdominal pain. He has a history of ruptured HCC during surgery. The patient underwent an emergency laparotomy on account of haemorrhagic shock, which confirmed the diagnosis of ruptured HCC with gastric wall seeding. The findings from this study showed that the ruptured HCC can seed into the stomach wall, and the implanted lesions may rupture and lead to life-threatening haemorrhagic shock. Surgery is an effective treatment for bleeding from the implanted lesions.