An unusual complication of open aortic surgery: hemorrhage due to the iatrogenic rupture of a renal cyst.

The authors describe a clinical case of a retroperitoneal hemorrhage due to rupture of a voluminous renal cyst during a conventional open aortic surgery. Intraoperative trauma is to be considered the cause of bleeding. In most cases the clinical evolution of the patient is benign and conservative treatment is sufficient. Considering the incidence of renal cysts in patients ungergoing conventional aortic surgery, we want to emphasize this possible complication, that has only rarely been dealt with in the literature. We recommend evaluation of such patients in view of preoperative drainage of large cyst including injection of sclerosing agents.