Sonographic demonstration of a spontaneous rectus sheath hematoma following a sneeze: a case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Spontaneous rectus sheath hematoma (SRSH) is an uncommon cause of acute abdominal pain characterized by bleeding within the rectus sheath; it is a benign condition and, in most cases, it is treated conservatively. Bleeding of the abdominal wall is an unusual condition that is quite challenging to identify promptly and can be easily overlooked during a routine physical examination. In daily practice, anticoagulant therapy is one of the main risk factors for hemorrhagic events. In this respect, we report a rare case of spontaneous hematoma of the abdominal wall (diagnosed and monitored through an ultrasound examination) that arose after sneezing in a patient receiving anticoagulant treatment.