Skip to main content
Log in

Posttraumatic splenic artery aneurysm presenting as occult gastrointestinal bleeding

Okkulte gastrointestinale Blutung bedingt durch ein posttraumatisches Milzarterienaneurysma

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Zusammenfassung

Dieser Fallbericht beschreibt den Krankheitsverlauf eines 53-jährigen Patienten, der an einer seit 19 Monaten bestehenden rezidivierenden okkulten gastrointestinalen Blutung leidet. Zahlreiche endoskopische Untersuchungen des oberen und unteren Gastrointestinaltraktes zeigten keine Blutungsquelle. Als der Patient im Rahmen eines Blutungsereignisses synkopierte, wurde an unsere Abteilung transferiert. Eine erneute Gastroskopie zeigte eine große, von der Magen-Hinterwand in das Lumen vorwölbende Raumforderung. Der Tumor imponierte mit weicher Konstistenz sowie einer darüberliegenden intakt wirkenden Magenschleimhaut. Eine endoskopische Ultraschalluntersuchung sowie eine Computertomographie entlarvte den Tumor als teilweise thrombosiertes Milzarterienaneurysma. Mittels Angiographie konnte diese Diagnose bestätigt werden. In weiterer Folge wurde das Milzarterienaneurysma embolisiert. Innerhalb einer nunmehr vier-monatigen Verlaufsperiode sind keine weiteren Blutungsereignisse mehr aufgetreten.

Ein Milzarterienaneurysma stellt zwar eine seltene Ursache für eine okkulte gastrointestinale Blutung dar, sollte jedoch bei jeder frustranen Abklärung einer okkulten gastrointestinalen Blutung berücksichtigt werden.

Summary

A 53-year-old man presented with a 19-month history of gastrointestinal bleeding. Repeated endoscopic investigation of the upper and lower intestine showed no source of bleeding. When the patient collapsed due to massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage he was referred to our center. Gastroscopy showed a large, bulging tumor protruding from the posterior gastric wall. The consistency of this tumor was soft and the overlying mucosa appeared smooth and intact. Endoscopic ultrasound and contrast-enhanced computerized tomography scan identified a partly thrombosized splenic artery aneurysm (SAA). Arteriography of the celiac trunk confirmed the SAA diagnosis; the SAA was subsequently occluded by coils. So far, four months after discharge, the patient is in excellent health and no further episode of gastrointestinal bleeding has occurred.

SAA is a very rare cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, but it must be considered when no other common bleeding source can be detected.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

References

  1. Dertinger SH, Vestner H, Muller K, Merz M, Hahn EG, Altendorf-Hofmann A, et al. (1996) Prospective study of diagnosis, therapy and follow-up of acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage in 397 patients. Wien Klin Wochenschr 108: 717–721

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Giebler A, Stadler H, Tscheliessnigg KH, Hollerl G, Berger A, Kraft-Kinz J (1985) 10 years of endoscopy at the University Department of Surgery in Graz. Wien Klin Wochenschr 97: 269–274

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Rockey DC (1999) Occult gastrointestinal bleeding. N Engl J Med 341: 38–46

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Bianchi Porro G Bruno F (1999) Acute gastrointestinal bleeding. In: Bianchi Porro G, Cremer M, Krejs G, Amadori G, Rask-Madsen J (sds) Gastroenterology and hepatology. Mc Graw-Hill, London New York, pp 24–34

    Google Scholar 

  5. Kirchgatterer A, Punzengruber C, Zisch R, Balon R, Knoflach P (1998) Gastrointestinal hemorrhage after operation for dissecting aneurysm of the thoracic aorta. Wien Klin Wochenschr 110: 101–104

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Puchner R, Allinger S, Doblhofer F, Gottlieb K, Knoflach P (1995) Rare causes of acute non-variceal gastrointestinal bleeding episodes: results of endoscopic therapy. Wien Klin Wochenschr 107: 215–218

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Mosler PF, Mergener KF, Duber CF, Bierbach H, Galle PR (2000) Large splenic artery aneurysm mimicking a gastric submucosal tumor. Endoscopy 32: S43

    Google Scholar 

  8. Balsarkar DJ, Joshi MA (2002) Rupture of splenic artery pseudoaneurysm presenting with massive upper gastrointestinal bleed. Am J Surg 183: 197–198

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Seiler C, Blumgart LH (1993) Gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to splenic artery aneurysm pancreatic duct fistula in chronic pancreatitis. A case report and review of the literature. HPB Surg 7: 149–155

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Shahani RB, Bijlani RS, Dalvi AN, Shah HK, Samsi AB (1994) Massive upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage due to direct visceral erosion of splenic artery aneurysm. J Postgrad Med 40: 220–222

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Spiro HM, Atterbury CE, Barwick KW, Gorelick F, Gryboski JD, Kapadia CR, Reuben A, Traube M, Zeman R (1993) Primarily structural disorders. In: Dereck Jeffers J., Sheinis LA (eds) Clinical gastroenterology Mc Graw-Hill, New York, pp 387–418

    Google Scholar 

  12. Messina LM, Shanley CJ (1997) Visceral artery aneurysms. Surg Clin North Am 77: 425–442

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Lauschke H, Rudolph J, Textor J, Strunk H, Remig J (2002) Visceral artery aneurysms. Zentralbl Chir 127: 538–542

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Reilly PM Bulkley GB (1992) Mesenteric vascular diseases. In: Kelly WN (ed) Textbook of internal medicine. Lippincott. Philadelphia, pp 502–508

    Google Scholar 

  15. Sam CE, Rabl M, Joura EA (2000) Aneurysm of the splenic artery: rupture in pregnancy. Wien Klin Wochenschr 112: 896–898

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Boudghene F, L’Hermine C, Bigot JM (1993) Arterial complications of pancreatitis: diagnostic and therapeutic aspects in 104 cases. J Vasc Interv Radiol 4: 551–558

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Moawad M, Ray S, Joseph JV (2002) Massive upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage due to intragastric rupture of a splenic artery aneurysm. Int J Clin Pract 56: 482–483

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. DeRoover A, Sudan D (2001) Treatment of multiple aneurysms of the splenic artery after liver transplantation by percutaneous embolization and laparoscopic splenectomy. Transplantation 72: 956–958

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Jaschke W, Hoevels J, Menges HW, Georgi M (1988) Diagnosis and therapy of bleeding aneurysms of the peripancreatic arteries. ROFO Fortschr Geb Rontgenstr Nuklearmed 148: 619–623

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Salam TA, Lumsden AB, Martin LG, Smith RB III (1992) Nonoperative management of visceral aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms. Am J Surg 164: 215–219

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert Koch M.D..

Additional information

This work was supported by “Verein zur Förderung der Forschung in Gastroenterologie und Hepatologie an der Universität Innsbruck”.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Koch, R., Graziadei, I., Zoller, H. et al. Posttraumatic splenic artery aneurysm presenting as occult gastrointestinal bleeding. Wien Klin Wochenschr 115, 668–671 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03040474

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03040474

Schlüsselwörter

Key words

Navigation