Large Splenic Artery Aneurysm with Abdominal Pain, Ascites, and Hematemesis

ABSTRACT

Splenic artery aneurysm (SAA) is an uncommon clinical entity. However, it is the most frequent aneurysmal disease of visceral arteries and the third most frequent among abdominal vessels. The cause of the disease and indications for surgical treatment are still controversial. In most cases, SAAs are detected as incidental findings. Their importance lies in potentially fatal consequence due to their rupture. SAAs occur predominantly in women and a majority of the patients with anuerysm are asymptomatic until rupture. Over the half of those, rupture occurs during pregnancy or in women who have had children. Rupture during pregnancy is associated with a very high maternal and fetal mortality rate. We experienced a case of 75-year-old female patient with large splenic artery aneurysm accompanying abdominal pain, ascites, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding. After this patient have had total splenectomy and aneurysmectomy, previous symptoms disappeared.