A Case of Splenic Peliosis Associated with Pathologic Rupture

Abstract

A patient walked into the accident and emergency department with spontaneous onset of left-sided abdominal pain. Physical examination suggested the presence of an acute abdominal condition. He was admitted to the surgical ward with a provisional diagnosis of perforated peptic ulcer. Emergency laparotomy revealed haemoperitoneum caused by rupture of the spleen. Pathologic examination confirmed the rare diagnosis of splenic peliosis. Emergency physicians should be aware of the possibility of atraumatic splenic rupture as a cause of spontaneous haemoperitoneum, bearing in mind that isolated splenic peliosis (also known as peliosis lienis) is one of the causes of pathologic splenic rupture.