title: Spontaneous retroperitoneal hemorrhage in a dialysis patient.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) often present to the Emergency Department with a multitude of complaints. Abnormal vital signs and a chief complaint of pain can produce a diagnosis ranging from a cardiac etiology to an infectious source.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our goal is to discuss a case in which an ESRD dialysis patient presented with a rare, life-threatening emergency.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 55-year-old man with ESRD presented with acute abdominal pain and hypotension caused by a spontaneous retroperitoneal hemorrhage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case report demonstrates the necessity of having broad differential diagnoses when evaluating patients with ESRD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia Hospitals, Richmond, VA 23298-0401, USA.
authors.forename: Geoff S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Scott E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Sparks
authors.forename: Stephanie R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: Jessica R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Morton
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006406:Hematoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000209:etiology; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012187:Retroperitoneal Space / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed