Successful embolisation of a spontaneous diffuse subcapsular liver bleeding in a patient receiving rivaroxaban
Spontaneous hepatic haemorrhage is a rare and potentially fatal condition. This case describes a 78-year-old woman on rivaroxaban who presented with haemodynamic shock due to a spontaneous subcapsular liver haematoma with capsular rupture and pseudoaneurysm formation. Imaging revealed multiple abnormal vessels without a single bleeding point. Transarterial embolisation with Gelfoam was performed, achieving haemostasis without significant hepatic infarction. The patient remained stable post-procedure, with normalisation of liver function tests and no underlying liver neoplasm on follow-up imaging. This case underscores the importance of early diagnosis and multidisciplinary intervention. Temporary embolic agents such as Gelfoam offer effective haemostasis with lower risk of long-term hepatic injury in patients with diffuse microvascular disruption.
Authors
- Darragh Waters (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8902-5738)
- Jack Alderson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1275-5737)
- Douglas Mulholland (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8268-9491)
Institutions
- Beaumont Hospital (IE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- CVIR Endovascular
- Published
- 2025-12-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s42155-025-00617-z
- Primary Topic
- Case Reports on Hematomas
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00