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. OBJECTIVES: Our goal is to discuss a case in which an ESRD dialysis patient presented with a rare, life-threatening emergency. CASE REPORT: A 55-year-old man with ESRD presented with acute abdominal pain and hypotension caused by a spontaneous retroperitoneal hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: This case report demonstrates the necessity of having broad differential diagnoses when evaluating patients with ESRD.
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. OBJECTIVES: Our goal is to discuss a case in which an ESRD dialysis patient presented with a rare, life-threatening emergency. CASE REPORT: A 55-year-old man with ESRD presented with acute abdominal pain and hypotension caused by a spontaneous retroperitoneal hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: This case report demonstrates the necessity of having broad differential diagnoses when evaluating patients with ESRD.