Flood Syndrome: Endovascular management of spontaneous rupture of an umbilical hernia due to long-standing ascites - A case report.

Umbilical hernias are common in patients with cirrhosis of the liver and ascites; however, spontaneous rupture of the hernia is a rare complication. Flood Syndrome occurs very rarely in cirrhotic patients with massive ascites and refers to the spontaneous rupture of an umbilical hernia followed by leakage of ascites fluid. A literature search shows that patients have been managed both operatively and nonoperatively for this condition. We report a case of a 56-year-old man with a history of alcohol-related liver cirrhosis and massive ascites refractory to medical therapy with sudden and spontaneous perforation of his hernia leading to drainage of ascitic fluid from the abdomen. We performed a transjugular intrahepatic portosystematic shunt to relieve portal pressure and subsequent intraabdominal pressure. The patient had resolution of symptoms and the ascitic fluid outflow was resolved.
(Copyright Journal of Radiology Case Reports.)