Ruptured mesenteric varices in hepatic cirrhosis: a rare cause of intraperitoneal hemorrhage.

We report a case of massive and fatal intraperitoneal hemorrhage from ruptured superior mesenteric varices secondary to portal hypertension and hepatic cirrhosis and proved by postmortem angioradiography. To our knowledge, this is the second case in the English language literature. Although very rare, this possibility should be borne in mind when one attempts to locate hemorrhagic complications of portal hypertension.