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Rare Cause of Syncope in a Gravid Female
Andrew Bellino1, Katherine Staats2, Jessica Ngo2
1Stanford University School of Medicine, Emergency Medicine Residency Program, Stanford, California.
Case Presentation:
A 33-year-old gravid female was brought to the emergency department after she collapsed in the street. Point-of-care ultrasound showed free fluid in the abdomen and confirmed an intrauterine pregnancy. Surgical teams were consulted, and cross-sectional imaging revealed a spontaneously ruptured splenic artery aneurysm (SAA). The patient was taken expeditiously to the operating room for splenic artery ligation and subsequent splenectomy.
Discussion:
Ruptured SAA in pregnant patients is associated with significant mortality for both mother and fetus. Maintaining a high index of suspicion in the correct population is crucial to avoid diagnostic errors and provide definitive care with operative repair.
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