Large Retroperitoneal Hematoma: A Rare Intraoperative Complication of Total Vaginal Hysterectomy

Retroperitoneal (RP) hematoma is a rare complication of total vaginal hysterectomy. A 45-year-old female G4P3013 with a history of abnormal uterine bleeding refractory to treatment by endometrial ablation and stress urinary incontinence underwent total vaginal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingectomy, bilateral uterosacral ligament suspension, anterior colporrhaphy, and cystoscopy. After the hysterectomy the left uterine artery pedicle was hemostatic; however, the patient became hemodynamically unstable and anemic. Laparoscopy revealed a stable zone III RP hematoma. Intraoperative observation revealed no further expansion of the hematoma. Left iliac angiography and aortography revealed there was no extravasation from the uterine arteries and gonadal vessels. Four days post-operative abdominal CT showed a stable hematoma. Hemodynamic instability resolved over the post-operative course. RP hematoma must be included in the differential for the evaluation of acute intraoperative hemodynamic instability with an unclear source.