Journal of Education and Teaching in Emergency Medicine

ABSTRACT:The authors present the case of a 42-year-old male who was evaluated in a community hospital emergency department (ED) with right upper quadrant and flank pain after falling onto his couch. His evaluation included computed tomography (CT) of his abdomen with intravenous contrast that identified a large right retroperitoneal hematoma measuring an impressive 17 centimeters (cm) in length. The patient was transferred to a receiving trauma center. Upon arrival a focused assessment with sonography in trauma (FAST) ultrasound was obtained. The interpretation of the findings was complicated by distortion of his anatomy by the hematoma. The patient remained hemodynamically stable and was admitted for continued observation. He was ultimately discharged home in stable condition. This case report provides a concise overview of the approach to evaluating blunt abdominal trauma, imaging considerations, and a brief review of the management of retroperitoneal hematomas.

Topics: Trauma, retroperitoneal hemorrhage, ultrasound, FAST, computed tomography, hepatorenal recess, Morrison’s pouch.