Intrahepatic hematoma requiring hepatic artery embolization: a rare complication of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is a well-established treatment modality for renal calculi since the 1980s (Urology 1984;23(5):59–66). In general, it is a safe and effective noninvasive therapeutic modality for treatment of urolithiasis. Bleeding complications of this procedure are rare and usually involve the kidneys. In this case report, a 56-year-old woman developed severe abdominal pain with signs of hemorrhagic shock 2 days post–extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy procedure. Computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis showed a large intrahepatic hemorrhage that required hepatic artery embolization.