Penetration into spleen by benign gastric ulcers

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Surgical Pathology

Background:

• Benign gastric ulcers can perforate the stomach wall, leading to free or confined perforations.
• Secondary involvement of adjacent organs like the pancreas and liver is common, but splenic involvement is rare.

Observation:

• This report details three cases of benign gastric ulcers penetrating the spleen.
• One patient had splenic tissue identified in endoscopic biopsy samples, predicting the complication pre-operatively.

Findings:

• Penetration of the spleen by a benign gastric ulcer is an uncommon complication.
• Endoscopic biopsy may reveal splenic tissue, aiding in pre-operative diagnosis.

Implications:

• Increased awareness of this rare complication is needed for accurate diagnosis and management.
• Diagnostic modalities like endoscopic biopsy can be valuable in identifying splenic penetration pre-operatively.