Background: Spontaneous retroperitoneal hemorrhage (SRH) is a rare but potentially fatal entity. Despite published case reports of SRH in dialysis, little systematic information is available.
Methods: Report of 5 cases and review of MEDLINE database from 1971 until 2008.
Results: Incidence of SRH in our unit was 0.86 cases per 100 patients; annual incidence rate 8/10,000 patients. We identified 34 publications, comprising 55 cases. The existing cases and the 5 reported were analyzed: 74.5 % male, average age 53.3 years (range 27-78), average time on dialysis 7.1 years (range 3 weeks-27.5 years), 95% on hemodialysis and 5% on peritoneal dialysis. There was significant heterogeneity in clinical presentation. The kidney was the most commonly reported origin (87.8%), and acquired cystic kidney disease (ACKD) was the most frequent underlying cause. 91.8% received some kind of anticoagulation. Treatment was conservative, included angioembolization or surgery in 33.3%, 17.6% and 49% of the cases respectively. Mortality rate was 18.3%.
Conclusions: More than 85% of SRH in dialysis had a renal cause, ACKD being predominant. The complication occurs mainly in the HD modality, possibly in relation to anticoagulation. There is no evidence that screening of ACKD is of benefit predicting SRH. Therefore, awareness of ACKD as a manifestation of ESRD patients and its risk of bleeding is necessary. Because of the summation of risk factors that appears in the population on dialysis, SRH should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unexplained pain before drop in blood pressure or hematocrit occurs.