Liver lacerations after coronary bypass operation

• Main Authors: Ihab Abu Reish, Amer Chaikhouni
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2012-01-01
• Series: Heart Views
• Subjects: CABG; myocardial revasularization; GI complications; liver laceration; chest tube complications
• Online Access: http://www.heartviews.org/article.asp?issn=1995-705X;year=2012;volume=13;issue=3;spage=100;epage=102;aulast=Reish

Gastrointestinal complications after open-heart surgery are rare but may increase mortality rate significantly. We are presenting a rare complication of liver laceration after coronary bypass operation. The patient is a 57-year-old man who underwent urgent Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting operation (CABG). Liver laceration and free intra-peritoneal hemorrhage was discovered to be the result of chest tubes insertion, and resulted in drop of hemoglobin and hemodynamic instability. The hemorrhage was surgically controlled, and the patient made full recovery and was sent home. This case report emphasizes that when bleeding of unknown origin occurs after cardiac surgery, intra-abdominal bleeding should be considered.