Hepatic rupture due to metastatic lung carcinoma.

A 62-year-old man died from hemoperitoneum secondary to nontraumatic hepatic rupture. At autopsy, the liver was massively enlarged by undiagnosed metastatic small cell carcinoma of the lung. The site of exsanguination was distended by tumor, culminating in sudden bursting of the hepatic capsule. Nontraumatic rupture may result from a variety of neoplastic and nonneoplastic diseases. Hemoperitoneum secondary to lung carcinoma is rare, and even more so is the association with sudden unexpected death.