Journal of the Chinese Medical Association
Volume 71, Issue 2 , Pages 92-95, February 2008

Percutaneous Drainage of Large Subcapsular Hematoma of the Spleen Complicating Acute Pancreatitis

  • Chih-Wei Tseng

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • ,
  • Chun-Chia Chen

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to: Dr Chun-Chia Chen, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 201, Section 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei 112, Taiwan, R.O.C
    • ,
  • Jen-Huey Chiang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Radiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • ,
  • Full-Young Chang

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • ,
  • Han-Chieh Lin

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • ,
  • Shou-Dong Lee

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Received 15 May 2007; accepted 11 September 2007.

Article Outline

The splenic complications associated with acute or chronic pancreatitis are rare, including splenic vein thrombosis, arterial pseudoaneurysm, subcapsular splenic hematoma, and splenic rupture. The management for subcapsular splenic hematoma in pancreatitis remains controversial. We herein report a rare case of large subcapsular splenic hematoma complicating acute pancreatitis, which was successfully treated by ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage. A 32-year-old male suffered from intermittent epigastric pain radiating to his back. Acute pancreatitis complicated with subcapsular splenic hematoma (15.0 × 13.0 × 9.5 cm) was shown on abdominal computed tomography (CT). He underwent ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage of the splenic hematoma. The size of the splenic hematoma had reduced to 9.5 × 2.3 cm 10 days later. After 4-week drainage of the hematoma, the abdominal pain improved and the patient was discharged. Follow-up abdominal CT 6 months later showed that the subcapsular splenic hematoma had almost completely resolved. The post-drainage course was smooth, and the patient had no abdominal symptoms at the 1-year follow-up.

Key Words:  acute pancreatitis , hematoma , percutaneous drainage , spleen

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PII: S1726-4901(08)70081-9

doi:10.1016/S1726-4901(08)70081-9

Journal of the Chinese Medical Association
Volume 71, Issue 2 , Pages 92-95, February 2008

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