Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Spontaneous splenic rupture: Report of five cases and a review of the literature

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Emergency Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Spontaneous splenic rupture without an antecedent history of trauma is an unusual entity. There have been sporadic case reports of spontaneous splenic rupture since its original 19th-century description. Since 1986, five cases of spontaneous splenic rupture have been treated at our institution. Two patients developed ruptures in apparently normal spleens. In the remaining three patients, splenic rupture was associated with infectious mononucleosis, a benign mesothelial cyst, and a dermoid cyst. Radiographic findings, etiologies, and the pertinent literature are reviewed.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Lieberman ME, Levitt MA. Spontaneous rupture of spleen. Am J Emerg Med 1989;7:28–31.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Knoblich R. Pathologic rupture of spleen in leukemia and lymphoma. Mich Med 1966;65:105–10.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. King RB. Spontaneous rupture of spleen in infectious mononucleosis. N Engl J Med 1941;224:1058–60.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bird D, Kelly MJ, Baird RN. Spontaneous rupture of normal spleen. Br J Surg 1979;66:598.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Miller KB, Kuligowska E, Rich DH. Ultrasound demonstration of splenic rupture in infectious mononucleosis. J Clin Ultrasound 1981; 9:519–20.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Gorg C, Barth P, Weide R, Schwerk WB. Spontaneous splenic rupture in AML. Bildgebung 1994;61:37–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Johnson MA, Cooperberg PL, Boisvert J, Stoller JL, Winrob H. Spontaneous splenic rupture in infectious mononucleosis. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1981;136:111–4.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Putterman C, Almog Y. Sonographic diagnosis of spontaneous splenic rupture in infectious mononucleosis. Isr J Med Sci 1992;28:801–4.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Jeffrey RB, Laing FC, Federle MP. Computed tomography of splenic trauma. Radiology 1981;141:729.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Al-Obaidi SM. Spontaneous rupture of spleen due to metastatic carcinoma. Br J Clin Pract 1989;43:385–6.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Bankole MA, Kent SW. Spontaneous rupture of spleen in pregnancy. Arch Surg 1966;92:120–2.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Beshara FM. Spontaneous rupture of spleen in Hodgkin's lymphoma. Clin Oncol 1982;8:69–71.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Brook J, Newman PE. Spontaneous rupture of the spleen in hemophilia. Arch Intern Med 1965;115:595–7.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Brown H, Sass M, Cheng PZ. Infectious mononucleosis and splenic rupture. Ohio St Med J 1974;954–5.

  15. deGraaff J, Pijpers PM. Spontaneous rupture of spleen in 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 1987;25:243–7.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Donckier V, Rypens F, Van de Stadt J. Unusual splenic complication of acute pancreatitis. J Clin Gastroenterol 1992;15:245–7.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Farley DR, Zietlow SP, Bannon MP, Farnell MB. Spontaneous rupture of spleen due to infectious, mononucleosis. Mayo Clin Proc 1992;67:846–53.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Gendron BP, Gatrell CB. Spontaneous rupture of spleen in Hodgkin's disease. Ann Emerg Med 1991;20:132–3.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Gilbert CR, Goldzieher JW, Cook TA. Insidious, rupture of spleen of splenic vessels associated, with pregnancy. J Abdom Surg 1964;6:48–57.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Griffiths JD, Ding JC, Juneja SK, Thomas RJ, Martin JJ, Cooper IA. Pathologic rupture of spleen in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Med J Aust 1986;144:146–50.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Karakousis CP, Elias EG. Spontaneous rupture of spleen in malignancies. Surgery 1974;76:674–7.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Kienzle GD, Stern J, Cooperberg A, Osborne CA. Spontaneous rupture of spleen in plasma cell leukemia. Clin Nucl Med 1985;10:639–41.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. LaBree RH, Fuller J, Boman PG. Spontaneous rupture of spleen after acute pancreatitis. JAMA 1960;172:116–7.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Lennard TW, Burgess P. Vomiting and spontaneous rupture of the spleen. Br J Clin Pract 1985;39:407–8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Lloveras JJ, Prevost F, Goudable C, Durand D, TonThat H. Suc JM. Rupture of spleen in hemodialyzed patients. Clin Nephrol 1986;26:160.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Mariani G, Ziparo V, Rossi G, Boehmig P, Criscuolo D, Lombardi M, et al. Spontaneous splenic haematoma in haemophilia. Haematologica 1974;59:205–11.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Mcclure JN, Huie RA. Spontaneous rupture of spleen in infectious mononucleosis. Am Surg 1960;26:776–7.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. McMahon MJ, Lintott JD, Mair WS, Lee PW, Duthie JS. Occult rupture of spleen. Br J Surg 1977;64:641–3.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Pringle SD, McCartney AC, Cobbe SM. Spontaneous splenic rupture as a complication of infective endocarditis. Int J Cardiol 1988;19:384–6.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Rao RC, Ghose R, Sawhney S, Berry M. Hemangioma of spleen with spontaneous rupture with associated TB. Australas Radiol 1993; 37:100–1.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Rogers JS, Shah S. Spontaneous splenic rupture in plasma cell leukemia. Cancer 1908;46:212–4.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Ruther U, Schmidt A, Rupp W, Bader H, Nunnensiek C, Rassweiler J, et al. Spontaneous splenic rupture in a patient with multiloculated signet ring cell carcinoma. Eur Urol 1993;23:417–8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Safran D, Bloom GP. Spontaneous splenic rupture following infectious mononucleosis. Am Surg 1990;56:601–5.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Stephens RJ, Hudson P. Spontaneous rupture of spleen in plasma cell leukemia. Can Med Assoc J 1969;100:31–4.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Wallace JC. Diagnosis of splenic rupture in malignant lymphoma. Clin Nucl Med 1985;10:7–8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Witte D, Gammill SL. Splenic rupture in mononucleosis. J Tenn Med Assoc 1990;83:189.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Bennett SR, Greer JP, Stein RS. Death due to splenic rupture in suppressor cell mycosis fungoides. Am J Clin Pathol 1984;82:104–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Sharma OP. Splenic rupture of sarcoidosis. Am Rev Respir Dis 1967;96:101–2.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Fallingborg J, Lawstfen J, Jakobsen J. Atraumatic rupture of the spleen in periarteritis nodosa. Acta Chir Scand 1985;151:85–7.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Nichols T, Wright FM, Pyeatte J. Spontaneous rupture of the spleen: an unusual complication of Crohn's disease. Am J Gastroenterol 1981;75:226–8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Lahey-Hitchcock Medical Center, 41 Mall Road, 01805, Burlington, Massachusetts

    Albert S. Tu M.D., Mai-Huong T. Tran M.D. & Carl R. Larsen M.D.

Authors
  1. Albert S. Tu M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mai-Huong T. Tran M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Carl R. Larsen M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tu, A.S., Tran, MH.T. & Larsen, C.R. Spontaneous splenic rupture: Report of five cases and a review of the literature. Emergency Radiology 4, 415–418 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01451078

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01451078

Key Words

Search

Navigation