Abstract
A 77-year-old man who had had a drinking habit had the sudden onset of epigastralgia. He was diagnosed as having splenic rupture and underwent emergency operation. During surgery, a ruptured spleen and a pseudocyst were identified, and splenectomy was performed. Histopathological studies suggested that a splenic aneurysm might rupture due to pancreatitis. We had great difficulties in treating fistula of the pancreas after the operation, but eventually we were able to manage the fistula. The patient has been followed in the clinic.
Non-traumatic splenic rupture is a rare entity, and it is known that the disease may be caused by alcoholic chronic pancreatitis, hematological / metabolic disorders, infections, and malignant neoplasms. This paper deals with our experience with a patient who could be saved by splenectomy for splenic rupture which might be caused by rupture of a splenic aneurysm secondary to alcoholic chronic pancreatitis.
