Spontaneous rupture of the right gastroepiploic artery: Unusual cause of acute abdomen and shock

Abstract

Introduction. Spontaneous rupture of the right gastroepiploic artery is an extremely rare case which can be a cause of abdominal apoplexy. Case report. We present a case of a 64-year old woman with a Spontaneous rupture of the right gastroepiploic artery with hemorrhagic shock that was successfully treated by emergency surgery. Conclusion. Simultaneous restoration of circulating volume and rapid diagnosis are keys in determining the patient outcome in this situation. Though the mortality is high if untreated, the operation is relatively simple and carries a low risk. © 2009 Hassani et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.