Thrombosed splenic artery aneurysm simulating a pancreatic body mass: can two entities be distinguished preoperatively thus avoiding diagnostic and therapeutic mistakes?
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Riccardo Casadei1, Nicola Antonacci, Lucia Calculli
1Department of Surgical and Anesthesiological Sciences, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Italy. casadei@aosp.bo.it
Context:
Splenic artery aneurysms are rare and they are usually easy to diagnose. Spiral computed tomography is the most sensitive diagnostic technique for this disease. Its primary treatment is interventional radiology; surgery is indicated in selected cases.
Case Report:
We herein report a case of an elderly male patient with a completely thrombosed aneurysm of the splenic artery. The spiral computed tomography and color-Doppler ultrasonography findings were different; the first showed this entity to be a pancreatic solid tumor and the second showed it to be an aneurysmatic thrombosed dilation of the splenic artery. Thus, laparotomy was performed and the proper diagnosis was made.
Conclusions:
This case underlines the characteristics of completely thrombosed splenic artery aneurysm with the aim to avoid diagnostic and therapeutic mistakes.
