Splenic Artery Aneurysms

Six patients with splenic artery aneurysms were operated upon at Kern County General Hospital between 1951 and 1972. One patient underwent emergency laparotomy for massive intraabdominal hemorrhage from a spontaneously ruptured splenic artery aneurysm that was resected. Elective aneurysmectomy with splenectomy was carried out in four patients, and suture ligation of the splenic artery proximal to the aneurysm was performed in one. Operation is advocated in patients who are good surgical risks as well as for all symptomatic aneurysms. Splenic artery aneurysms in women of childbearing age constitute a special hazard because of the increased incidence of rupture in pregnancy.