Fatal Retroperitoneal Bleeding Caused by Neurofibromatosis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

A young female was brought into the emergency department with pulseless electrical activity (PEA) after local resection of neurofibromateous lesions. Chest ultrasonography was normal. Abdominal ultrasonography was not performed. After successful resuscitation a total body CT-scan was performed to ru...

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Main Authors: Patrick R. Moerbeek, Jesse M. van Buijtenen, Baukje van den Heuvel, Arjan W. J. Hoksbergen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2015-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Medicine
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/965704
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author Patrick R. Moerbeek
Jesse M. van Buijtenen
Baukje van den Heuvel
Arjan W. J. Hoksbergen
author_facet Patrick R. Moerbeek
Jesse M. van Buijtenen
Baukje van den Heuvel
Arjan W. J. Hoksbergen
author_sort Patrick R. Moerbeek
collection DOAJ
description A young female was brought into the emergency department with pulseless electrical activity (PEA) after local resection of neurofibromateous lesions. Chest ultrasonography was normal. Abdominal ultrasonography was not performed. After successful resuscitation a total body CT-scan was performed to rule out potential bleeding sources. However, haemodynamic instability reoccurred and the scan had to be aborted at the thoracoabdominal level. No thoracic abnormalities were found. Resuscitation was reinitiated and abdominal ultrasonography was performed, showing a large amount of abdominal fluid. A progressive fall in haemoglobin was noted. Emergency laparotomy was performed, revealing a large retroperitoneal haematoma. Despite ligation and packing, bleeding continued. Postoperative angiography showed active bleeding from a branch of the left internal iliac artery, which could be successfully coiled. Unfortunately, the patient died five days later due to irreversible brain damage. Revision of an MRI scan made one year earlier showed a 10 cm large retroperitoneal neurofibromatous lesion exactly at the location of the current bleeding. This case shows that patients with neurofibromatosis might develop spontaneous life-threatening bleeding from retroperitoneal located lesions. Furthermore, it points out the necessity of focused assessment with ultrasonography of the abdomen in all patients with PEA of unknown origin.
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spelling doaj-art-5f7423aa7a2a463baabb0b0b4824c9b92025-02-03T01:10:12ZengWileyCase Reports in Medicine1687-96271687-96352015-01-01201510.1155/2015/965704965704Fatal Retroperitoneal Bleeding Caused by Neurofibromatosis: A Case Report and Review of the LiteraturePatrick R. Moerbeek0Jesse M. van Buijtenen1Baukje van den Heuvel2Arjan W. J. Hoksbergen3Department of Surgery, VU University Medical Center, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, NetherlandsDepartment of Surgery, VU University Medical Center, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, NetherlandsDepartment of Surgery, VU University Medical Center, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, NetherlandsDepartment of Surgery, VU University Medical Center, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, NetherlandsA young female was brought into the emergency department with pulseless electrical activity (PEA) after local resection of neurofibromateous lesions. Chest ultrasonography was normal. Abdominal ultrasonography was not performed. After successful resuscitation a total body CT-scan was performed to rule out potential bleeding sources. However, haemodynamic instability reoccurred and the scan had to be aborted at the thoracoabdominal level. No thoracic abnormalities were found. Resuscitation was reinitiated and abdominal ultrasonography was performed, showing a large amount of abdominal fluid. A progressive fall in haemoglobin was noted. Emergency laparotomy was performed, revealing a large retroperitoneal haematoma. Despite ligation and packing, bleeding continued. Postoperative angiography showed active bleeding from a branch of the left internal iliac artery, which could be successfully coiled. Unfortunately, the patient died five days later due to irreversible brain damage. Revision of an MRI scan made one year earlier showed a 10 cm large retroperitoneal neurofibromatous lesion exactly at the location of the current bleeding. This case shows that patients with neurofibromatosis might develop spontaneous life-threatening bleeding from retroperitoneal located lesions. Furthermore, it points out the necessity of focused assessment with ultrasonography of the abdomen in all patients with PEA of unknown origin.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/965704
spellingShingle Patrick R. Moerbeek
Jesse M. van Buijtenen
Baukje van den Heuvel
Arjan W. J. Hoksbergen
Fatal Retroperitoneal Bleeding Caused by Neurofibromatosis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Case Reports in Medicine
title Fatal Retroperitoneal Bleeding Caused by Neurofibromatosis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
title_full Fatal Retroperitoneal Bleeding Caused by Neurofibromatosis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
title_fullStr Fatal Retroperitoneal Bleeding Caused by Neurofibromatosis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
title_full_unstemmed Fatal Retroperitoneal Bleeding Caused by Neurofibromatosis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
title_short Fatal Retroperitoneal Bleeding Caused by Neurofibromatosis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
title_sort fatal retroperitoneal bleeding caused by neurofibromatosis a case report and review of the literature
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/965704
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AT baukjevandenheuvel fatalretroperitonealbleedingcausedbyneurofibromatosisacasereportandreviewoftheliterature
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