Widespread subcutaneous haematoma after thrombolytic therapy in stroke patients. Mild falls at stroke onset may be dangerous

Recombinant tissue Plasminogen Activator (rtPA) is one of the more and more often used therapies in ischemic stroke. Main adverse effect of rtPA could be bleeding in different anatomical sites. Onset of the stroke is often associated with falls due to sudden limb weakness. Mild trauma can be not reported by patients and their families and can leave no visible signs on the skin. Thrombolytic therapy given in such cases can cause potentially dangerous complication such as subcutaneous or subfascial hematoma. The article presents two cases of patients with ischemic stroke who received thrombolytic therapy with subsequent complication of wide-spread subcutaneous hematomas.