Maternal deaths in Australia from ruptured splenic artery aneurysms

Abstract

The rupture of a splenic artery aneurysm (SAA) in pregnancy is a highly lethal condition, but so rare that most obstetricians would not encounter it during their career. In the seven official ‘Maternal Deaths in Australia’ reports, that covered 21 years from 1997 to 2017, among a total of 449 direct and indirect deaths, there were nine deaths (2%) from a ruptured SAA. These cases, and other cases from the literature and the Cochrane Library, are reviewed. The aim of the review is to raise awareness among clinicians of this potentially fatal condition.