A rare case of massive retroperitoneal hemorrhage after bone marrow aspiration alone

We report the case of a young woman with acute myeloid leukemia submitted to bone marrow aspiration alone who developed massive retroperitoneal hemorrhage as a result of possible direct penetration of the needle through the iliac crest. The patient recovered uneventfully after blood transfusion and supportive management. This case illustrates that retroperitoneal hemorrhage after bone marrow aspiration alone is extremely rare but, nevertheless, can have considerable impact on individual patients.