A rare cause of spontaneous hemoperitoneum: intra-abdominal vein rupture

Aim: Ruptures of the intra-abdominal vein causing a spontaneous hemoperitoneum in cirrhotic patients is a rare condition. However, diagnosis must be considered early in cirrhotic patients with hematic ascites as a delayed diagnosis with hemodynamic instability is associated with a poor prognosis. Case report: We present the case of a 54-year-old cirrhotic patient who presented a spontaneous hemoperitoneum due to the rupture of the intra-abdominal vein that was diagnosed during exploratory laparoscopy. Conclusion: Early diagnosis and management of spontaneous hemoperitoneum due to the rupture of intra-abdominal vein helps improve its prognosis. Plain language summarySpontaneous hemoperitoneum is a rare but catastrophic condition caused by the rupture of the liver, spleen or abdominal vessels. In patients with cirrhosis, diagnosis of spotaneous hemoperitoneum is difficult. This is a case report of a 54-year-old cirrhotic man with a spontaneous hemoperitoneum due to the rupture of a vein within the abdomen. The diagnosis was suspected as the patient had signs of blood in the abdomen. To confirm spontaneous hemoperitoneum, the doctors performed a procedure called exploratory laparoscopy, which involves inserting a small camera into the abdomen. The laparoscopy confirmed the presence of blood and thus the diagnosis of spontaneous hemoperitoneum.