Atraumatic splenic rupture is a rare but potentially life-threatening event. It mostly happens when the spleen is already diseased; however, sometimes it can be drug induced in a previously normal spleen. Although anticoagulation has been attributed to spontaneous splenic rupture quite frequently, the role of dual antiplatelet therapy is underestimated. We report a case of an 80-year-old woman who developed spontaneous splenic rupture 4 weeks after starting dual antiplatelet therapy.
Learning points: Atraumatic or spontaneous splenic rupture can be life threatening.Various drugs, including granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (GCSF) and anticoagulants, can result in atraumatic splenic rupture in a previously normal spleen.Dual antiplatelet therapy can also cause splenic rupture in a previously normal spleen. It can occur as early as a few weeks after initiation of treatment.
Keywords: Atraumatic splenic rupture; antiplatelet therapy; clopidogrel; myocardial infarction.