[Floating spleen with chronic torsion of the pedicle causing splenomegaly and secondary hypersplenism]

[Symptomatic calcified splenic artery aneurysm: case report]

INTRODUCTION

Although the third most common aneurysm within the abdomen, after aneurysms of the aorta and iliac arteries, splenic artery aneurysms are rare, but not exceptionally. Owing to new imaging techniques, they have been discovered with increasing frequency.

CASE OUTLINE

Authors present a 47-year-old woman, multipara, who presented with left upper abdominal pain in whom X-ray showed a calcified ring in the area of distal pancreas. Selective angiography confirmed a splenic artery aneurysm of its proximal part. During an open surgery the aneurysm was excised (aneurismectomy) without immediate, early or late complications. The patient became symptom-free.

CONCLUSION

In patients, particularly women, the multiparas who present with epigastric or left upper abdominal pain of unknown aetiology, splenic artery aneurysm has to be taken into account. Further diagnostic procedures such as plain X-ray and selective angiography in suspected cases should be performed. Surgery or other treatment modalities are to be seriously considered in all patients, particularly in those with increased risk of rupture.

[Splenic artery aneurysms]

Although the third most frequent aneurysm in the abdomen, after aneurysms of the aorta and iliac arteries, and most frequent aneurisms of visceral arteries, splenic artery aneurysms are rare, but not very rare. Thanks to the new imaging techniques, first of all ultrasonography, they have been discovered with increasing frequency. We present a series of 9 splenic artery aneurysms. Seven patients were female and two male of average age 49 years (ranging from 28 to 75 years). The majority of afected women were multiparae, with average 3 children (ranging from 1 to 6). One patient had a subacute rupture, and 2 had ruptures into the splenic vein causing portal hypertension. The spleen was enlarged in 7 out of 9 patients. The average size of aneurysms was 3,2 cm (ranging from 2 to 8 cm). The preoperative diagnosis of splenic artery aneurysm was established in 6 patients while in 3 patients aneurism was accidentally found during other operations, during splenectomy in 2, and during the excision of a retroperitoneal tumour in 1 patient. Aneurysmectomy was carried out in 7 patients, while a ligation of the incoming and outcoming wessels was performed in 2 patients with arteriovenous fistula. Splenectomy was performed in 6 patients, while pancreatic tail resection, cholecystectomy and excision of the retroperitoneal tumor were performed in 3 patients. Additional resection of the abdominal aortic aneurysm with reconstruction of aortoiliac segment was performed in 2 patients. There were no mortality and the postoperative recovery was uneventful in all patients.