Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine (Nov 2018)

Point-of-care Ultrasonography of a Rare Cause of Hemoperitoneum

  • Kyle R. Kelson,
  • Matthew Riscinti,
  • Michael Secko,
  • Ian S. deSouza

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5811/cpcem.2018.7.38210
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2, no. 4

Abstract

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A young woman presented to the emergency department with lethargy, hemodynamic instability, and diffuse abdominal tenderness. On point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS), she was found to have intraperitoneal free fluid and a large pelvic mass, which were discovered intraoperatively to be hemoperitoneum due to ruptured vessels of a uterine leiomyoma. Although rare, a life-threatening, ruptured leiomyoma may be treated surgically if recognized in an expedient fashion. A PoCUS can aid the emergency clinician in prompt diagnosis.