A Rare Cause of Acute Abdomen: Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma which Causes Spontaneous Splenic Rupture

Abstract

Introduction: Non-traumatic spleen rupture is a very rare clinical case. While infectious and traumatic ruptures are so frequent, spontaneous ruptures due to hematological and oncological malignities are very rare. The patients with splenic rupture generally admitted to emergency department because of the acute abdomen. In this case report our aim was to demonstrate that in a patient admitting to the emergency department with acute abdominal findings the typical clinical features of spontaneous splenic rupture caused by a malignant lymphoma. Case Presentation: Sixty two years old Caucasian female patient seek medical advice with the complaint of constantly growing stomach ache on last ten days. There were symptoms of acute abdomen on her physical examination. Contrast-enhanced abdomino-pelvic computed tomography scan has been conducted emergently for the patient. On computed tomography, splenomegali and the findings of ischemia and infarction in an area of 5 cm of the splenic hilus and in widespread perisplenic free fluid were found. Patient urgently underwent a surgery. So, splenectomy was performed due to spontaneous splenic rupture. This patient diagnosed with malign lymphoma on histopathological evaluation. The patient discharged from the hospital due to the recovery, during 4th postoperative day. Conclusion: Non-traumatic splenic ruptures are observed rarely. Spontaneous splenic ruptures due to hematological and oncological diseases are very rare. When making differential diagnosis of acute abdomen, splenic ruptures shall also be in mind. Computed tomography and ultrasonography can be important when making diagnosis. Splenectomy shall be applied emergently during the treatment of spontaneous splenic rupture. Keywords: Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, acute abdomen, spontaneous, splenic rupture