Iatrogenic hemorrhage from left umbilical vein after cardiac surgery: an unusual complication

Postoperative bleeding is a concern for all patients undergoing heart surgery, which could be due to surgical causes or coagulation disorder. The patients at risk for coagulopathy include those patients with complex or prolonged procedures, those exposed to preoperative anticoagulants and, to a lesser extent, patients with a preoperatively elevated prothrombin time and activated clotting time. However, intraabdominal bleeding after cardiac surgery is rare (0.3-2%). As the mortality rate of patients exposed to these complications is high (11-59%), timely recognition and prompt management is vital for patient's safety and for avoidance of postoperative complications. Here, we present a case of free intraabdominal hemorrhage as sequelae of pacing wire insertion in open heart surgery and its successful management.