Retroperitoneal hematoma is an uncommon clinical entity that may be encountered more frequently as iatrogenic injuries occur during interventional procedures. This chapter presents a case study of a 71-year-old male who presented to the emergency room with new onset headache, stiff neck, and slight confusion. The clinical manifestations of retroperitoneal hematoma are vague and thus the clinician must have a high index of suspicion to make the diagnosis. If the hematoma develops near or within the iliopsoas muscle, patients will present with a femoral neuropathy. Diagnosis of retroperitoneal hematoma is made either via computed tomography (CT) or angiography. However, if the patient is unstable or has ongoing bleeding, endovascular therapy with stent-grafting across the injured vessel is a treatment option if interventional radiology is available. Surgery may also be indicated to decompress the retroperitoneal space if nerve or ureteral compression exists.

This chapter considers selected aspects of surgical technique, complications, and the management of some surgical problems that develop in association with pregnancy. The signs and symptoms of various surgical conditions are modified by the anatomic and physiologic changes that accompany pregnancy, paradoxically often resulting in their exacerbation, an apparent reduction in intensity, or a change in the location of the expected physical signs. Impaired healing and wound infections are among the most common complications of surgery, in pregnant as in nonpregnant patients. During abdominal surgery, iatrogenic injuries commonly involve the gastrointestinal and urinary tracts. Surgical complications involve gallbladder disease and appendicitis. The chapter discusses a series of neoplastic disorders encountered at varying degrees of frequency during pregnancy, and outlines their clinical management. In areas of developing surgical techniques, the most significant area of legal exposure falls in the lag between actual practice and the establishment of accepted safeguards.