An Unusual Case of Hemoperitoneum: Spontaneous Rectus Sheath Hematoma (original) (raw)
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Turkish Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation, 2017
Rectus sheath hematoma is a rare but well-known cause of acute abdominal pain. Rectus sheath hematoma is largely misdiagnosed as seen rarely. As a fatal disorder it must be suspected especially in patients receiving anticoagulant therapy for any reason. Heparin exposure during hemodialysis sessions and uremic bleeding diathesis causes chronic hemodialysis patients to be vulnerable to rectus sheath hematoma. Rectus sheath hematoma may be mild and self-limiting but also be so severe that it threatens life because of hypotensive shock and anemia-related risks. The patient may present without symptoms, with abdominal pain or with hemodynamic shock. We present a case report describing a patient with recurrent abdominal pain due to rectus sheath hematoma exacerbating after hemodialysis sessions.
Case Reports in Emergency Medicine, 2014
Rectus Sheath Hematoma (RSH) represents an unusual entity which is characterized by acute abdominal pain and tender palpable abdominal mass usually, among elderly patients receiving anticoagulant therapy. We report the case of an 81-year-old woman admitted to our department due to acute abdominal pain and oligoanuria. The patient had recently been hospitalized due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and atrial fibrillation (AF) and received both anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapies. The radiological assessments revealed an extended Rectus Sheath Hematoma and bilateral hydronephrosis. Treatment of the hematoma required cessation of anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents, immobilization, blood and fresh frozen plasma transfusion, and administration of vasopressors. The patient recovered gradually and was discharged home fifteen (15) days later.
Archives of Public Health
The author have declared that no competing interests (Spontaneus) Rectus sheath hematoma ((S)RSH) is an accumulation of blood in the sheath of the rectus abdominis muscle, secondary to rupture of an epigastric vessel or muscle tear. It is defined as spontaneous in patients without history of abdominal trauma. It can be located supra-or infraumbilically. Although the exact incidence is unknown, Klingler et al. observed 23 cases (1.8%) of rectus sheath hematoma among 1257 patients evaluated by ultrasound for acute abdominal disorders. Ultrasonography can help in the diagnosis, but CT scan is most accurate in its ability to define the lesion. When diagnosed clinically, a conservative therapeutic program can usually be instituted. Only in cases of supportive management failure, progressive and large hematoma or uncontrollable hemodynamic patients, interventional management including surgery or less invasive newer techniques is indicated. Case presentation: We present two cases of SRSH in patients using oral anticoagulant agent (acenocoumarol). Their chief complaint was sudden onset of acute abdominal pain. On admission they were haemodynamically stable. After thorough clinical evaluation a suspicion for SRSH diagnosis was made and then confirmed by ultrasonography and CT. Both of them were successfully treated conservatively and discharged home in a good general condition. Conclusion: These two cases illustrate the accurate diagnosis of SRSH treated conservatively leading to optimal patient outcomes.
Rectus Sheath Hematoma: A Rare Surgical Emergency
Cureus, 2020
A rectus sheath hematoma (RSH) is a rare medical condition that consists of blood accumulating in the rectus abdominis muscle sheath. RSH is most frequently due to a hemorrhage from the superior or inferior epigastric artery. RSH has many specific risk factors, such as anticoagulant use. As the use of anticoagulants increases, the incidence of RSH has also increased. This condition can present with the infrequent complication of abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS), which can require surgical decompression of the abdomen to avoid high morbidity and mortality. We present the case of a 79-year-old male who, after receiving anticoagulants, developed a right-sided RSH which progressed to ACS. The patient was transferred to our care for community-acquired pneumonia, pneumothorax, and increasing respiratory support. He was admitted to the medical intensive care unit (MICU), was placed on a nasal cannula, and given vancomycin and Zosyn for pneumonia. After two days, the patient was switched to enoxaparin for anticoagulation. After three days, the patient's pneumothorax had resolved. At this time, the patient reported swelling in his right lower quadrant (RLQ) with mild pain, nausea, vomiting, and difficulty voiding completely. The physical examination confirmed RLQ swelling, and a kidney, ureter, and bladder (KUB) x-ray and ultrasound were ordered. A CT with and without contrast was also obtained which showed a large right rectus sheath hematoma extension into preperitoneal space and a small amount of intraperitoneal fluid along the right paracolic gutter. Soon after, the patient became lightheaded and fell after using the restroom. Vitals at the time were a blood pressure of 79/56, heart rate (HR) of 127, and oxygen saturation of 88% with his hemoglobin dropping from 11.4 g/dL earlier that morning to 8.4 g/dL. The patient's care was transferred to our surgical team in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU). He received an arterial line, two doses of protamine, 1-liter of crystalloids, and two units of packed red blood cells (PRBC). The patient's vitals normalized. Interventional radiology (IR) was consulted but they requested the coagulopathy be corrected before any intervention. Reversal of his Lovenox® was thromboelastographic (TEG)-guided and included platelets, cryoprecipitate, and prothrombin complex concentrate/fresh frozen plasma (PCC/FFP), in addition to more PRBCs. During these interventions, the patient acutely decompensated with hypotension, difficulty breathing, and expansion of his hematoma. A bladder pressure in the 30s was obtained, causing him to be sent to the operating room (OR) for decompression, extraperitoneal packing, and the wound was temporarily closed. The patient returned and IR was able to embolize the right inferior epigastric artery. The patient was taken to the OR again for exploration, removal of packing, and closure. RSH is a rare complication that can occur due to trauma, coagulopathy, obesity, and muscle strains during a pregnancy. Larger hematomas tend to occur below the arcuate line because there is an absence of the posterior rectus sheath which enables the hematomas to spread. An RSH can be treated with conservative measures, but for patients who continue to bleed, more aggressive measures should be taken to avoid lifethreatening complications, such as ACS.
Marmara Medical Journal, 2016
Introduction: Rectus sheath hematoma is a rare but an important clinical entity in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain. It is often a self-limiting condition that can be managed successfully in conservative measures. If not recognized, it can lead to unnecessary emergency surgical procedures. A 55-year-old male patient suffering from chronic renal failure and cardiomyopathy presented with a progressively growing abdominal mass diagnosed to be a bilateral rectus sheath hematoma. Despite many complications related to alteration of general status, electrolyte imbalance and coagulation problems, conservative management proved successful, while prompt surgical intervention could have ended in death in such a fragile patient. The advent of radiology and computer tomography has noticeably increased the diagnosis rate of rectus sheath hematoma. Despite the classic opinion that surgery should be reserved only for those patients with hemodynamic instability or complications such as infection or free intraabdominal rupture, the trend to treat conservatively with great patience is emphasized.