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Updated: Mar 25, 2026

Comprehensive Endovascular and Open Surgical Management of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations
Published on: October 20, 2017
Median sacral artery injury following a bone marrow biopsy successfully treated with selective trans-arterial
Yousof Al Zahrani1, David Peck2
1Division of Interventional Radiology, Medical Imaging Department, University Hospital, London Health Sciences Center,The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6H 0B1, Canada. yousof1403@hotmail.com.
Background:
Iatrogenic arterial injury during bone marrow biopsy is an extremely rare complication. We present unreported complication of median sacral artery injury that was managed successfully with endovascular treatment.
Case Presentation:
A 22-year-old Caucasian man known to have end-stage renal disease secondary to Senior-Loken syndrome presented with anemia. He underwent an investigation with bone marrow biopsy that was complicated by hypotension and a further significant drop in his hemoglobin level. Cross-sectional imaging with computed tomography demonstrated a large abdominopelvic retroperitoneal hematoma and active bleeding of the median sacral artery. A successful lifesaving endovascular trans-arterial embolization was performed on an emergency basis and our patient was discharged in a stable condition a few days later.
Conclusion:
Iatrogenic arterial injury after a bone marrow biopsy is extremely rare. To the best of our knowledge, a median sacral artery injury has not been previously reported. Endovascular trans-arterial embolization is a safe, effective, and minimally invasive therapeutic option.

