[Rupture of splanchnic artery aneurysms (a report of 19 cases)]

During the past 30 years, 19 patients were admitted in our hospital with acute rupture of splanchnic artery aneurysms. There were 12 hepatic artery, 5 gastroduodenal-pancreaticoduodenal and 2 superior mesenteric artery aneurysms. The aneurysms ruptured into the biliary tract in 13 patients, and 3 into the abdominal cavity, and 3 into the upper gastrointestinal tract. Twelve aneurysms resulted from choledochitis or pancreatitis, 5 from atherosclerosis and 2 from trauma. It is difficult to make a correct diagnosis preoperatively. The most valuable examination is selective angiography of the celiac and superior mesenteric arteries. Nine of our patients were correctly diagnosed preoperatively by arteriography. Thirteen patients were treated by surgery and 7 died. Prognosis depended on anatomic relations of the aneurysms and the primary underlying disease.