Brain death due to abdominal compartment syndrome caused by massive venous bleeding in a patient with a stable pelvic fracture: report of a case.

We report a rare case in which abdominal compartment syndrome resulting from venous hemorrhaging developed in a patient with stable pelvic fractures, resulting in a fatal outcome. An 84-year-old man with mild pelvic fractures developed hypovolemic shock and underwent transcatheter arterial embolization. He became hemodynamically stable after the procedure, but became hypotensive for the second time 11 h after admission. Urinary bladder pressure rose to 32 mmHg from 4-7 mmHg. Rebleeding from the pelvis with the development of abdominal compartment syndrome was suspected. Repeated transcatheter arterial embolization and laparotomy were performed; however, 1 min into the procedure, both pupils symmetrically dilated and the light reflex disappeared. This case suggests that brain death can sometimes occur due to abdominal compartment syndrome.