title: The impact of etiological factors on mortality in retroperitoneal hematomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Retroperitoneal hematomas (RPH) mostly occur after blunt and penetrating traumas. However, these hematomas may develop spontaneously in the elderly and the patients who use anticoagulants. Between January 2006 and December 2011, 31 patients with RPH were evaluated retropectively. The patients were allocated into three groups according to the underlying etiological factor: Group I; spontaneous RPH, group II; RPH caused by penetrating trauma, group III; RPH caused by blunt trauma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 22 (71%) male and 9 (29%) female patients with a mean age of 35.7 ± 18.7 (range: 15-88 years). Spontaneous RPH was diagnosed in eight patients (25.8%) while RPH caused by penetrating trauma in 13 patients (41.9%) and RPH induced by blunt trauma in 10 (32.3%) patients. Retroperitoneal hematomas were located at zone I in 2 patients (6.5%) whereas zone II in 19 patients (61.3%) and zone III in 9 patients (29%). On the other hand, RPH was regarded to be at zone II-III in 1 patient (3.2%). Additional organ injury was defined in 18 patients (58.1%). Twenty patients (65%) were treated surgically. The morbidity rates were 12.5%, 7.7% and 20% and the mortality rates were denoted as 12.5%, 15.4% and 50%, for group I, group II and group III, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Additional organ injury, massive blood transfusion, the route of injury and the need for surgery are defined as the most significant factors associated with increased mortality.
authors: Ibrahim
authors: I
authors: Aliosmanoglu
authors: Mesut
authors: M
authors: Gul
authors: Murat
authors: M
authors: Kapan
authors: Zulfu
authors: Z
authors: Arikanoglu
authors: Fatih
authors: F
authors: Taskesen
authors: Akin
authors: A
authors: Onder
authors: Mustafa
authors: M
authors: Aldemir
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012187:Retroperitoneal Space; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult