Retroperitoneal Hematoma as a Complication of Endovascular Embolization of Tumor Epistaxis: A Case Report

Retroperitoneal hematomas are a rare and fatal complication of endovascular embolization. We report a case of an 89-year-old woman who was referred to interventional radiology for percutaneous embolization for intractable epistaxis as a result of a left nasal cavity mucosal melanoma. After successful embolization of the left sphenopalatine artery, the patient became hypotensive and was transferred to the intensive care unit. Post-operative CT abdomen and pelvis angiogram showed a large right perinephric hematoma, which is an extremely uncommon complication of endovascular embolization for epistaxis. Practitioners should be aware of this life-threatening complication in weighing the risks and benefits of embolization versus direct surgical ligation, and they should identify and intervene promptly if a retroperitoneal hematoma should occur.