A case of spontaneous rupture of the spleen in a 67-year-old woman with chronic lymphocytic leukemia is presented. The patient had been hospitalized and treated with chlorambucil but had complained of left upper quadrant pain during and subsequent to her hospitalization. Immediately prior to death this became extremely severe and the patient exhibited weakness and nausea. At autopsy generalized lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly were noted. Other cases of spontaneous rupture of the spleen also are summarized from the literature. Only 32 cases have been found in leukemic patients and all but 3 have been in men. Although spontaneous rupture of the spleen is an unusual occurrence, the authors conclude that in some cases there is no history of injury or stress.
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Stites et al. (1966) studied this question.