Spontaneous Rupture of a Primary Splenic Cyst Causing Hemoperitoneum

ABSTRACT

A 14-yr-old male presented with a hemoperitoneum caused by a spontaneous rupture of a primary splenic cyst. The laparotomy showed a ruptured spleen at the lower pole from one of the multiple cyst-like lesions, measuring approximately 2 cm in diameter. After the splenectomy, a microscopic examination confirmed the diagnosis of a primary splenic cyst lined with a mature, well-differentiated squamous epithelium. A hemoperitoneum caused by a spontaneous rupture of a primary splenic cyst is a rare but potentially lethal complication, because most patients with a splenic rupture present with some degree of hypovolemia.