A 62-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with a persistent cough and severe abdominal pain. Computed tomography showed the rare condition of a spontaneous rectus sheath haematoma on the right side (Figure A). The patient commented that her husband had been suffering the same symptoms for days, and that he was taking warfarin therapy. Six hours later, he presented to the same hospital with a matching rectus sheath haematoma on the left side (Figure B), and required blood transfusion. This completed a “marriage of inconvenience”, but did bring them closer to marital bliss — they shared a room in hospital, although in separate beds!
- David James1
- D Ong Hii2
- Nathan Lawrentschuk3
- 1 Maroondah Hospital, Ringwood East, VIC.
- 2 University of Melbourne, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, VIC.
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