Spontaneous splenic rupture is an uncommon complication of acute pancreatitis. This report describes the case of a 60-year-old man with acute pancreatitis complicated by splenic rupture. The patient was admitted to the emergency department with pain in the upper abdomen that had been present for 2 days. He was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis of alcoholic etiology. The patient was admitted to the hospital for two recurrent episodes in the last 4 months of acute pancreatitis of alcoholic etiology. Magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen revealed a suspicious area of necrosis. Seventy-two hours after admission, the patient had significant improvement in symptoms and the inflammation markers rapidly decreased. However, he showed clinical worsening on the seventh day of hospitalization, with increasing abdominal distension and reduced hemoglobin levels. A CT angiography showed a large amount of free fluid in the abdominal cavity, along with a large splenic hematoma. The patient subsequently underwent laparotomy, which showed hemoperitoneum due to rupture of the splenic parenchyma. A splenectomy was performed with resection of the pancreatic tail.
Keywords: Alcohol drinking; Laparotomy; Pancreatitis, complications; Splenectomy; Splenic rupture.