Abstract
Splenic infarction often has underlying disease such as cardiovascular and hematologic disease. It is rarely associated with no underlying disease which can be a causative factor. This paper reports on a case of idiopathic splenic infarction presenting with sudden onset of left upper quadrant pain, with a review of the litarature.
A 57-year-old man consulted with the hospital because of severe left abdominal pain which suddenly occurred a day before the consultation. Splenic infarction was suggested by ultrasonography. Conservative treatment was performed, but the pain continued. The patient was admitted. Splenic arteriography demonstrated an occlusion of the superior polar artery.
According to these findings, the cause of the abdominal pain was diagnosed as splenic infarction. Because of long lasting fever up, we dicided to do splenectomy at the 7th day after admittion. The resected spleen showed no enlargement and infarcted lesion with grey colored located in upper third of the spleen. Precise examination about cardiovascular disease, hematologic disease, or collagen diseases was done, but any potential underlying diseases, which might cause splenic infarction, were not demonstrated. Theses results indicate that this case should be diagnosed as idiopathic splenic infarct.
