Surgical treatment of a double splenic artery aneurysm.

Abstract

Splenic artery aneurysms account for the majority of splanchnic artery aneurysms. These constitute a uncommon pathology, but with a mortality rate greater 70%. We report a case of a double symptomatic aneurysm of the splenic artery with a proximal and distal localization. The patient was a 65-year-old woman with chronic abdominal pain of the left hypochondrium, irradiating to the ipsilateral iliac fossa. In this case, the particular anatomical characteristics, which prevented a conservative endovascular treatment, were well suited to surgical treatment, performed successfully. In conclusion, in the case of a low-risk patient, in the presence of aneurysms with favourable anatomical characteristics one should prefer surgical rather than endovascular treatment, despite the widespread use of the latter.