Rapid 3D reconstruction guided embolization for catastrophic bleeding following vacuum assisted breast biopsy; A case report and review of the literature

Abstract

The most clinically significant complication associated with stereotactic core needle biopsy of the breast is hematoma formation, which only occurs in less than 1% of biopsies and may require treatment. Cases of uncontrollable bleeding, refractory to repeated compression, resulting from biopsy are exceedingly rare. We present a case of catastrophic, uncontrollable bleeding and large hematoma formation resulting from stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy of a breast mass identified in screening mammography. Percutaneous embolization was planned and guided using 3D reconstructions from computed tomographic angiography, and bleeding was successfully controlled with micro-coil embolization.

Keywords

• Breast needle biopsy
• Bleeding
• Hematoma
• 3D reconstruction
• Embolization