The diagnosis and management of splenic artery aneurysms

The presentation and course of 7 patients with splenic artery aneurysms is reviewed. Three presented with abdominal pain, 2 with collapse and rupture and in 2 it was an incidental finding. Four patients had elective ligation-excision of the aneurysm with splenectomy as had one patient operated on as an emergency, with no operative mortality. The aneurysm size ranged from 20 to 45 mm (mean 30 mm) and histology confirmed atheroma. One patient was managed as a myocardial infarct for 8 hours after admission and a ruptured splenic aneurysm was diagnosed at autopsy, an overall mortality of 14%. A 66-year-old woman in poor general health was managed expectantly and was asymptomatic when lost to follow-up after 2 years.