How serious is a splenic artery aneurysm?
Splenic artery aneurysm is a rare condition, however, potentially fatal. The importance of splenic artery aneurysm lies in the risk for rupture and life threatening hemorrhage.
Is a splenic artery aneurysm an emergency?
Splenic artery aneurysm (SAA) is an uncommon, but potentially life-threatening, condition.
What kind of doctor operates on a splenic artery aneurysm?
Aneurisms of the splenic artery are rare clinical findings. Surgeons and interventional radiologists should co‐operate in the management of this challenging disease; we describe here a surgical option.
What causes an aneurysm on your spleen?
Splenic artery pseudoaneurysms are thought to be caused by pancreatitis, abdominal trauma, postoperative cases of liver transplant and rarely peptic ulcer disease. The most common cause is considered to be chronic pancreatitis.
When do you treat a splenic artery aneurysm?
The indications for treating SAA include symptomatic aneurysms, an aneurysm larger than 2 cm, and aneurysms in woman who are pregnant or of childbearing age, since these aneurysms are associated with a high incidence of rupture. Traditional treatment options for SAA are endovascular or open procedures.
Can you feel a splenic artery aneurysm?
Learning points. A splenic artery aneurysm, although rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of left upper quadrant abdominal pain with referred left shoulder pain.
What size splenic artery aneurysm requires surgery?
A symptomatic aneurysm, an aneurysm of any diameter in a pregnant woman or a woman of childbearing age, and an aneurysm >2 cm are all strong indications for surgery because of a significantly increased risk for splenic artery rupture.
Does a vascular surgeon treat aneurysm?
Skilled in modern imaging and advanced non-invasive techniques, our vascular surgeons are able to expertly and effectively treat both large and small aneurysms.
What is a small splenic artery aneurysm?
Splenic artery aneurysm is defined as a condition where there is a focal dilation in the diameter of the splenic artery that is 50% greater than the normal vessel diameter. This is the most common visceral artery aneurysm reported making up about 60% to 70% of patients diagnosed with visceral artery aneurysms.
Can splenic artery aneurysm cause back pain?
Patients are often asymptomatic, and only 20% have symptoms such as vague left upper quadrant or epigastric discomfort or back pain, and most splenic artery aneurysms are detected incidentally during diagnostic imaging performed for other indications [6-8,10].