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Splenic artery aneurysm in a cardiac transplant patient: a case report
A Megalopoulos1, K Vasiliadis, S Siminas
1First Surgical Department, General Regional Hospital "George Papanikolaou", Thessaloniki, Greece.
Insights
This case report details the first isolated splenic artery aneurysm in a heart transplant patient. The aneurysm was successfully repaired, highlighting a rare complication possibly linked to immunosuppression.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Vascular Surgery
- Transplant Surgery
Background:
- Heart transplantation is a life-saving procedure for end-stage heart failure.
- Immunosuppression therapy is crucial for preventing organ rejection but carries potential long-term risks.
- Splenic artery aneurysms are rare vascular conditions.
Observation:
- A 61-year-old female heart transplant recipient developed a symptomatic 4-cm splenic artery aneurysm.
- The patient was on long-term immunosuppression including cyclosporine, prednisone, and azathioprine.
- The splenic artery aneurysm was successfully ligated without splenectomy.
Findings:
- This is the first reported case of an isolated splenic artery aneurysm in a heart transplant recipient.
- The successful surgical management of the aneurysm was achieved through proximal and distal ligation.
- The etiology may involve immunosuppressive agents or hormonal factors.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of vigilant surveillance for rare vascular complications in transplant patients.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the potential role of immunosuppressants in aneurysm development.
- This finding contributes to understanding the multifaceted risks associated with long-term immunosuppression post-transplant.
Abstract:
We present the case of a 61-year-old woman who underwent repair of a symptomatic 4-cm splenic artery aneurysm. This patient had received heart transplantation for hypertrophic congestive cardiomyopathy 5 years before this event. She was under immunosuppression therapy with cyclosporine, prednisone and azathioprine. The aneurysm was ligated both proximally and distally without removal of the spleen. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of an isolated splenic artery aneurysm in the heart transplant population. We discuss the potential role of immunosuppressive agents and hormonal factors in the development of this extremely rare occurrence.
