[Vaginal hemorrhage after hysterectomy as a complication of alcohol-induced liver cirrhosis]

We report on a 50-year-old woman with a decompensated alcoholic liver cirrhosis and Korsakow syndrome since 1991. In July 1992, an abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingoophorectomy was made because of an endometrial carcinoma pT1NOMO. A postoperative abscess of the vaginal stump was evacuated. The patient was admitted three years later with a massive vaginal bleeding. Her general appearance and nutritional status were bad. The vaginal bleeding was caused from ruptured varicose pelvic veins secondary to portal hypertension. Neither conservative (vaginal tamponade, infusions) nor operative (laparotomy with an intraabdominal and transvaginal tamponade) therapy was successful. The patient died as a result of severe bleedings. We discuss differential diagnostics and planning therapy.