[Spontaneous perirenal hematomas in patients taking anticoagulation medication or having a bleeding diathesis]

Spontaneous perirenal hematoma is a rare condition. The clinical features are acute flank or abdominal pain, haematuria, hypotension and shock. Bleeding is most commonly caused by renal tumours, especially angiomyolipomas. Other known causes are long-term haemodialysis, arteriosclerosis or arteritis. A total of 6 patients with spontaneous perirenal haemorrhage have been treated in our hospital since 2003. Nearly all patients had been taking anticoagulation medication. One had a bleeding diathesis. One of the patients died immediately after admission at the hospital. All other patients had an exploratory laparotomy. In three cases total nephrectomy had to be performed, two other patients could be treated with partial nephrectomy. In patients with non-traumatic acute flank or abdominal pain it is important to determine whether the patient has been taking anticoagulation medication or suffers from bleeding diathesis because there is a high incidence of bleeding complications in these cases. If an emergent laparotomy is not necessary we recommend that these cases should be treated surgically after clinical stabilisation because tumours are the main reason for the haematomas and the patients have an urgent need for further anticoagulation therapy.