A Man with Severe, Left Lower Quadrant Abdominal Pain

Clin Pract Cases Emerg Med. 2023 Aug;7(3):197-199. doi: 10.5811/cpcem.1601.

Abstract

Case presentation: An 84-year-old man presented to the emergency department with sudden, left lower quadrant cramping pain. Because critical hypotension was noted, point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) was performed immediately. The study revealed a pulsatile flow extravasating from the left common iliac artery into the left psoas muscle with hypoechoic para-aortic fluid collection.

Discussion: Common iliac artery rupture is rare and has nonspecific clinical presentations. A quick disposition can be made with a combination of clinical manifestations and POCUS results.