[33 cases of hematoma of the rectus abdominis muscle in a surgical department].

The authors report a series of 33 hematomas of the recti-abdominis muscles from a surgery department: 15 occurred under anticoagulants 6 were spontaneous, 5 followed trauma and 6 a surgical procedure. The clinical picture was subacute in 24 cases, combining an abdominal pain (32 cases) a mass (10 cases) and an extensive ecchymosis (6 cases). The picture was acute in 6 extensive hematomas with collapse and anemia. In 3 cases an isolated mass was the first symptom. Echography has represented, since 1977, a decisive advance in the diagnosis, which was found to be accurate in 5 out of 10 cases before its introduction, and in 19 out of 20 when it was resorted to in the 23 cases recorded later. TDM is useful only in few cases. 23 patients were have been operated on: 6 for cardiovascular collapse, 3 because the diagnosis had not been made, 8 on order to confirm the diagnosis, 3 because of an increase in size of the hematoma and 3 owing to infection. In the 10 cases not submitted to surgery, the evolution was favourable. The therapeutic approach must be lanced according to the patient's condition, the size, side effect and evolution of hematoma. The aim of the operation is to evacuate the hematoma, to drain it and sometimes to tie up the bleeding vessel.