Rectus hematoma secondary to vomiting: a complication of conditioning regimen for bone marrow transplantation

A 41-year-old woman with chronic myelogenic leukemia was scheduled to undergo transplantation of bone marrow. The patient complained of nausea and vomiting following the initiation of chemotherapy. One day prior to the planned termination of chemotherapy, the patient developed left-sided abdominal pain. Physical examination and imaging examination indicated the possibility of acute abdomen associated with bleeding or herniation. For therapeutic and diagnostic purposes, an emergency operation was performed. A 6 x 5 cm hematoma was detected within the left rectus abdominis muscle. It is suggested that the gastrointestinal symptoms should be carefully controlled in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation.