[Hematemesis revealing chronic volvulus of a wandering spleen]

[A case report of wandering spleen]

INTRODUCTION

Wandering spleen is a rare condition that occurs when there is an acquired or congenital hypelaxity of the suspensory ligaments of the spleen, resulting in its migration to any abdominal or pelvic position.

CASE REPORT

A 43-year-old woman presented with symptoms of acute abdominal pain. At physical examination, a splenomegaly was found in the left hypochondria, thereafter followed by a secondary migration of the lump to a periumbilical location. Computed tomography revealed a wandering spleen with vascular pedicle torsion. Splenopexia was perfomed.

CONCLUSION

A wandering spleen is most frequently observed in children and young women. This rare diagnosis should be considered facing a recurrent abdominal pain syndrome, a splenomegaly accompanied with pain, or a pelvic lump. A wandering spleen may lead to torsion of the vascular pedicle of the spleen, a chronic volvulus with portal hypertension, or even a splenic infarction. The diagnosis is performed by computed tomography. Wandering spleen is treated surgically, by splenopexy or splenectomy.

[Torsion of wandering spleen in a teenager: about a case]

Wandering or migrating spleen is a rare anomaly which is usually described in children. Complications, which include pedicle torsion, are common and can be life-threatening. We report the case of a 17 year-old patient with a long past medical history of epigastric pain suffering from wandering spleen with chronic torsion of the pedicle. The clinical picture was marked by spontaneously painful epigastric mass, evolved over the past 48 hours. Abdominal ultrasound objectified heterogeneous hypertrophied ectopic spleen in epigastric position and a subcapsular hematoma. Doppler showed a torsion of splenic pedicle which was untwisted 2 turns and a small blood stream on the splenic artery. Abdominal CT scan with contrast injection showed a lack of parenchymal enhancement of large epigastric ectopic spleen and a subcapsular hematoma. The diagnosis of wandering spleen with chronic torsion of the pedicle complicated by necrosis and subcapsular hematoma was confirmed. The patient underwent splenectomy. The postoperative course was uneventful. We here discuss the contribution of ultrasound and CT scan in the diagnosis of wandering spleen with chronic torsion of the pedicle.

Laparoscopic splenectomy for a wandering spleen complicating gastric varices: report of a case

Wandering spleen is a rare clinical entity, and its chronic torsion of the vascular pedicle result in splenic vein occlusion leading to gastric varices. Here, we present a case of wandering spleen complicating gastric varices in a 40-year-old female. Three-dimensional CT (3D-CT) clearly showed the disruption of the splenic vein at the origin of the vascular pedicle and collateral development of the gastric varices. The patient was electively treated with laparoscopic splenectomy. Difficulty of prediction of the splenic vein recanalization to improve the varices was the reason for the use of splenectomy versus splenopexy. The varices were successfully diminished 3 months after the surgery. After review of cases of complicating gastric varices in the literatures, splenectomy is still a secure way to treat an adult patient with wandering spleen with complicating gastric varices.

Wandering spleen presenting as bleeding gastric varices

Ectopic spleen (splenoptosis) is an extremely rare condition in which the spleen is present in a nonanatomical position. Patients' symptomatology is variable and ranges from mere feeling of an abdominal lump to sudden abdominal pain due to infarction. Patient may have subacute to chronic abdominal or gastrointestinal complaints. Because of nonspecific symptoms, clinical diagnosis can be difficult; hence, imaging plays an important role. Presentation as a case of portal hypertension is extremely rare. We report a case of splenic torsion in a middle-aged woman who presented with hemetemesis from gastric varices secondary to chronic volvulus of an ectopic spleen. Preoperative diagnosis was made on the basis of ultrasonography, endoscopy, and computed tomography, which was later proved on surgery and treated successfully.

Laparoscopic splenopexy for a wandering spleen in a child

We present a case of acute volvulus of a wandering spleen in a 5-year-old girl that was diagnosed preoperatively by computed tomography scan and which we treated with a laparoscopic splenopexy on an emergent basis.

Laparoscopic splenectomy for the treatment of wandering spleen

Wandering spleen is a very rare pathologic condition that initially presents with unremarkable clinical symptoms, then dramatically manifests severe complications. A case of wandering spleen treated with laparoscopic splenectomy is described and compared with other similar reports in the literature. Laparoscopic exploration of the abdominal cavity allowed the diagnosis to be confirmed and splenectomy to be performed. An enlarged spleen led to the choice of total splenectomy to avoid both future complications and future organ torsion resulting from the long and twisted vascular pedicle. The laparoscopic approach led to a rapid recovery, a 3-day postoperative course, and satisfactory cosmetic results.