SELECTIVE SPLENIC ARTERY EMBOLIZATION OR USE OF POLYGLYCOLIC ACID MESH IN CHILDREN WITH SEVERE SPLENIC TRAUMA

Children with splenic trauma are managed conservatively in most circum stances, and the need for surgical intervention is very rare. When sur gical exploration is mandatory, splenic preservation is a worthwhile o bjective, using various suture methods, biomaterials, or resorbable pr ostheses. We present our experience over the past year with 5 severe s plenic injuries. Three of these patients were treated operatively with a resorbable mesh, while the other two were managed percutaneously by selective embolization of the splenic artery under fluoroscopic contr ol. We describe the embolization technique with its advantages, good o utcome with low morbidity and low economic and social cost.