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Case Report
Superior gluteal artery hemorrhage causing gluteal compartment syndrome and sciatic neuropathy following iliac crest biopsy: A case report
1 Hunter New England Local Health District, Tamworth Hospital, Tamworth, NSW, Australia
2 University of Newcastle, School of Medicine and Public Health, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
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Meena Kothwal Patel
Unaccredited General Surgery Registrar, Department of General Surgery, Tamworth Base Hospital, 31 Dean Street, Tamworth, NSW 2340,
Australia
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Article ID: 100170Z12MP2026
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Patel MK, Jawanda M, Srinivasan R. Superior gluteal artery hemorrhage causing gluteal compartment syndrome and sciatic neuropathy following iliac crest biopsy: A case report. J Case Rep Images Surg 2026;12(2):1–4.ABSTRACT
Introduction: Iliac crest biopsy is a common procedure used in diagnosing hematological conditions. Although the procedure is generally safe, hemorrhagic complications may arise, especially in patients who are anticoagulated.
Case Report: This case report describes a 75-year-old male who developed a large gluteal hematoma and sciatic nerve compression following a biopsy of the right posterior iliac crest and resultant injury to the superior gluteal artery. The patient presented one week after the procedure with severe neuropathic pain in sciatic nerve distribution, resulting in significant functional impairment and immobility. Imaging demonstrated a large intermuscular gluteal hematoma, and the patient subsequently underwent surgical evacuation of the hematoma with ligation of the superior gluteal artery.
Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of early recognition and prompt management of this rare complication following iliac crest biopsy. Although anticoagulation is not routinely withheld for this low-risk bleeding procedure, clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for significant hemorrhagic complications in anticoagulated patients presenting with severe post-procedural pain, neurological symptoms, or functional decline.
Keywords: Bone marrow biopsy, Gluteal compartment syndrome, Gluteal hematoma, Superior gluteal artery injury
SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Author Contributions
Meena Kothwal Patel - Substantial contributions to conception and design, Acquisition of data, Analysis of data, Interpretation of data, Drafting the article, Revising it critically for important intellectual content, Final approval of the version to be published
Manvek Jawanda - Acquisition of data, Interpretation of data, Drafting the article, Revising it critically for important intellectual content, Final approval of the version to be published
Rajkumar Srinivasan - Acquisition of data, Analysis of data, Interpretation of data, Revising it critically for important intellectual content, Final approval of the version to be published
Guarantor of SubmissionThe corresponding author is the guarantor of submission.
Source of SupportNone
Consent StatementWritten informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this article.
Data AvailabilityAll relevant data are within the paper and its Supporting Information files.
Conflict of InterestAuthors declare no conflict of interest.
Copyright© 2026 Meena Kothwal Patel et al. This article is distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium provided the original author(s) and original publisher are properly credited. Please see the copyright policy on the journal website for more information.
