[Massive hepatic necrosis secondary to treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma by percutaneous alcoholization]

Abstract

Fatal complications of percutaneous ethanol injection for the treatment of hepatic tumors are rare events. We report a case of massive hepatic necrosis after treatment by percutaneous ethanol injection of a 4 cm diameter hepatocellular carcinoma, which resulted in the death of the patient. The mechanism of this complication was probably an intratumoral aterioportal shunt, which allowed ethanol to spread through the blood vessels.