Abdominal Hematoma

Excerpt

A hematoma is a blood collection in an extravascular space. It results from bleeding from a vascular structure. Depending on the location of the blood collection, hematomas are named accordingly, e.g., intracranial hematoma, hemothorax, pelvic hematoma, and abdominal hematoma. Hematomas can collect in extravascular areas near bleeding vessels with space to accommodate this blood collection. An abdominal hematoma can be intrabdominal or an abdominal wall hematoma. Abdominal wall hematoma usually results from bleeding inside the muscle layers of the abdominal wall, most commonly the vascular rectus muscle. A known category of this hematoma is rectus sheath hematoma. This activity will be focused on rectus sheath hematoma or rectus hematoma.

Rectus sheath hematoma is bleeding in the rectus sheath. It is a confined space where the blood collects, commonly in the form of localized hematoma. Inferior or superior epigastric arteries and veins or their branches and tributaries form the basis of the bleeding source. A rectus hematoma can occur spontaneously in certain categories of people. But, it usually follows an injury to the inferior or superior epigastric vessels or their perforating branches. While this condition does resolve on its own, sometimes the hematoma can be extensive and lead to hypovolemic shock .