Spontaneous rupture of an iliac vein.

A 67 year old female was seen as an emergency some three days following a minor fall with spontaneous rupture of the left iliac vein. Emergency surgery consisted of repair of the venous rent, compartmentation of the vena cava, thrombectomy, and subsequently anticoagulation. Etiology of the rupture was considered to be the thrombosis in the proximal portion of the iliac vein which created a high venous pressure behind the thrombus.