Ruptured splenic artery aneurysm as a rare cause of acute abdomen; a case report done at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa.

ABSTRACT

Splenic artery aneurysm is a rare phenomenon although it is the second most common visceral artery aneurysm. Usually it occurs in adults with an increase in incidence as age increases and the diagnosis is made incidentally during work-up of patients for other clinical conditions. When it ruptures life threatening hemorrhage occurs and patients usually die if the correct diagnosis is not made timely. Here we present a ruptured splenic artery aneurysm which was misdiagnosed as a hemorrhagic pancreatitis and finally the diagnosis was made on post contrast computed tomography scan. Physicians must include ruptured splenic artery aneurysm as one of the differential diagnosis of acute abdomen particularly in patients who are in shock state and anemic.