The authors report 6 cases of spontaneous hemoperitoneum due to rupture of a hepatoma. This complication occurs most often in cirrhotic liver and reveals the tumor. Diagnosis can then only be made during autopsy or urgent laparotomy. Hepatic resection is most often highly problematic or impracticable owing to cirrhosis or the tumor involving both lobes. Among palliative operations, ligation of the hepatic artery seems to be an elective procedure. It enabled the authors to stop the bleeding in 2 cases and obtain a survival of more than 1 year in 1 case.