Spontaneous iliac vein rupture: An uncommon, but frequently lethal, event

Spontaneous rupture of the iliac veins is a distinctly uncommon problem often misdiagnosed as an arterial rupture because of significant retroperitoneal bleeding. It often occurs with acute left-sided deep vein thrombosis and physical activities that exacerbate acute venous hypertension. A significant number of these patients will have anatomy associated with May-Thurner syndrome. Delayed imaging on computed tomography scanning might suggest a venous etiology for a retroperitoneal hematoma rather than arterial bleeding. We found 53 previously reported cases of iliac vein rupture Our report details two additional cases and the treatment options and outcomes.