[Spontaneous intraperitoneal hemorrhage: etiology]

Spontaneous intraperitoneal hemorrhage is a rare and sometime fatal condition. The clinical presentation may range from a non-specific abdominal pain to an acute abdomen with hemodynamic instability. Often, a preoperative diagnosis cannot be obtained. Immediate surgical exploration remains the treatment of choice. However, pre or postoperative diagnosis can sometime be confirmed and treated with interventional radiology. In rare cases, the site of bleeding remains unknown despite intraoperative exploration and radiographic studies.