title: [Hematoma of the rectus abdominis. experience of a primary care hospital].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe patients diagnosed with hematoma of the rectus abdominis (HRA) muscle.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with HRA over the past 8 years in our center.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 17 patients (9 women) with mean age of 73 years were included in the study. In 52% of the cases the HRA was the cause of hospitalization. Anticoagulant therapy was documented in 70%. More than half of patients treated with low molecular weight heparin had renal insufficiency. In the group receiving oral anticoagulants (OA), 86% had INR greater than 4. Paroxysmal cough appeared in 13. The most common presentation was abdominal pain and palpable mass. CT scan sensitivity was superior to that of the ultrasound. The most common location was the lower right. Treatment was conservative in all but one. Two patients died. Mean decrease in hemoglobin was 4.7 g/dl. Average stay was 19 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our center, HRA almost equally affects both genders and appears in older people with excessive anticoagulation and cough. The clinical presentation, increased diagnostic sensitivity of CT scan and predominance in the right abdominal involvement are similar to other series. Mortality and hospital stay are higher than described.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Medicina Interna, Hospital Comarcal do Salnés, Villagarcía de Arousa, Pontevedra, España. majenu@cmpont.es
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Núñez Fernández
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García Blanco
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: García García
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Castro Paredes
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López Soto
authors.forename: A Bon
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Bon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D011320:Primary Health Care; D017568:Rectus Abdominis; D012189:Retrospective Studies