TRAUMATIC ANEURYSM AND ARTERIOVENOUS-FISTULA OF THE SPLENIC ARTERY

Aneurysmal arteriovenous fistulas are rare and mostly seen in adults. A 13-year-old girl developed a subcapsular hematoma of the spleen foll owing blunt abdominal trauma. Follow-up ultrasonography 4 months after the trauma revealed an aneurysm at the splenic hilum. Selective splen ic angiography demonstrated the lesion to be an aneurysmal arterioveno us fistula. Repeat ultrasonography enabled us to be certain of the tra umatic origin of the aneurysm and arteriovenous fistula which are very unusual in the pediatric age group.