Ultrasonography in the diagnosis of rectus abdominis hematoma

Because bleeding into the rectus sheath may give a clinical picture simulating an acute abdomen, it is essential that an accurate diagnosis be made so that an unnecessary laparotomy is not performed. Plain films do not give adequate information and computerized axial tomography is not always available, but ultrasonography, which is noninvasive and is readily available, provides an accurate diagnosis as in the case reported in this paper. A 57-year-old woman had bilateral hematomas of the rectus sheath that did not occur simultaneously. She had a chronic debilitating disease as do the majority of such patients. Long-term cortisone therapy with secondary breakdown of connective tissue was probably the predisposing factor. During a blood transfusion that was needed following operation for osteomyelitis the patient had a severe reaction accompanied by sudden onset of severe abdominal pain on the left side. Ultrasonography confirmed the tentative diagnosis of rectus sheath hematoma. The patient was treated conservatively. The pain subsided within a few days leaving an ecchymosis. Two weeks later she experienced a similar pain on the right side which was also diagnosed by ultrasonography as a rectus sheath hematoma. Again, with conservative treatment the pain subsided leaving discolouration of the skin. The authors stress the value of ultrasonography in diagnosing rectus sheath hematoma and the importance of conservative management.