Spontaneous splenic artery aneurysm rupture in a 38-year old female: a case report

Splenic artery aneurysm (SAA) is a rare and extremely difficult diagnosis. A rare case of a ruptured SAA in a 38-year old female, firstly treated with endovascular embolization and then with splenectomy, is presented. A 38-year old female presented to the emergency department with epigastric pain and fainting episodes. Direct catheter angiography revealed a ruptured SAA and distal, as well as proximal coil embolization was performed. Due to abdominal compartment syndrome the patient underwent open surgery with splenic artery ligation and splenectomy. Postoperative she showed signs of sepsis and was treated with i.v. fluids, steroids, packed red blood cells, platelets, fresh frozen plasma and antimicrobial treatment. Additionally, a multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumanni was yielded from the urine culture. She had a satisfactory recovery. She is followed up a total of 5 years with no signs of overwhelming post-splenectomy infection syndrome. Direct catheter angiography is a very helpful option in diagnosis, as well as treatment, but a close monitoring after embolization is essential. Furthermore, post-splenectomy sepsis is a severe disease with high mortality rates that requires immediate appropriate treatment.