The clinical feature, diagnosis and management of splenic artery aneurysms in liver transplant patients

Abstract

To summarize the clinical feature of splenic artery aneurysms (SAA) in OLT recipient, and review the experience in diagnosis and management. The clinical data, results of four-phase CT scanning and CT angiography of 450 recipients, who underwent OLT from December 2001 to December 2003 were analyzed statistically. Twenty of 450 recipients were diagnosed as SAA, the incidence was about 4.4%. Nineteen of them were diagnosed by four-phase CT scanning. Fifteen patients did not receive any treatment for SAA during OLT, but two of them suffered SAA rupture after OLT, among which one died of hemorrhagic shock although emergency operations were performed. The five patients, who were performed splenectomy with SAA resection during transplantation, recovered successfully after OLT, and their grafts' function was satisfactory. Morbidity of SAA is higher in patients of liver cirrhosis. Four-phase CT scanning can diagnose SAA exactly. In the early period post-OLT, SAA rupture happens frequently, so SAA resection should be performed during transplantation.