Splenic trauma from colonoscopy: A case series

Splenic trauma is quite rare after colonoscopy and can be overlooked as a complication when a patient presents with severe abdominal pain. It can be difficult to diagnose without appropriate imaging, but it should be considered as part of the differential in a patient arriving for evaluation of left upper quadrant abdominal pain.

In this case series, we discuss four patients who presented to our institution with splenic trauma specifically after colonoscopy. These patients were diagnosed with splenic trauma utilizing computed tomography (CT) scans of the abdomen and pelvis. They were all immediately transferred to our surgical intensive care unit (SICU) for close monitoring and serial hemoglobin checks. Two of the four patients had decreasing hemoglobin levels and were monitored until they underwent interventional radiology (IR) angiography and angioembolization. The other two patients had significant transfusion requirements and ultimately went to the operating room for an open splenectomy. All four of these patients did well after their interventions, although one of them required longer hospitalization while on the ventilator secondary to Haemophilus infection.

This case series recognizes that there is potential for quite severe splenic trauma after colonoscopy. While one of the four patients did have a history of prior splenic trauma, the other three had no history of trauma.

These cases demonstrate that this complication should be managed similarly to traumatic splenic injury unrelated to colonoscopy, and that non-operative treatment remain a possibility. Certainly, non-operative management requires a SICU and IR capabilities to be successful. If the patient becomes unstable, they should undergo the appropriate operative intervention.