Background: Retroperitoneal hemorrhage (RPH) is an infrequent but occasionally fatal complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Therefore, it has been studied in relatively small numbers of patients.
Methods: Prospectively collected data on 28,378 consecutive patients treated between 1992 and 2003 were examined, supplemented by a date-based case control cohort study (76 RPH and 76 non-RPH patients) to examine elements not routinely recorded prospectively. Independent correlates of RPH were determined using logistical regression analysis.
Results: One hundred sixty-three patients (0.57%) developed RPH; of these 73.5% required blood transfusions and 10.4% expired during hospitalization (P < 0.001 for both compared with patients without RPH). RPH was independently associated with femoral artery sheath placement superior to the inferior epigastric artery (P < 0.001), female sex (P < 0.001), use of Angioseal Device (P < 0.001), glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor use (P = 0.001), and patient presentation with the acute myocardial infarction (P = 0.035), and was inversely related to patient weight (P = 0.014). Of the 17 patient deaths, 6 were directly related to RPH, 2 of which occurred in association with delays in resuscitation efforts consequent to attempts to obtain diagnostic confirmation with CT imaging.
Conclusions: RPH remains an infrequent but serious complication of PCI. Appropriate management of the femoral access site and the patient once this complication is suspected may minimize adverse outcomes.