Giant aneurysm of the splenic artery - A case report

Giant aneurysms of the splenic artery larger than 10 cm are rare. The size of splenic aneurysms rarely exceeds 3 cm. Aneurysms that are often symptoma tic because of their size must be treated rapidly before rupture. An etiolo gic and diagnostic evaluation with computed tomography and selective angiog raphy of the visceral arteries is essential before treatment. Operative ind ication is imperative for these aneurysms. Their mass with portal compressi on and dense adhesions to adjacent organs allow only aneurysmal exclusion b y proximal and distal ligation with preservation of the spleen. The control of the proximal splenic artery is often difficult, justifying the choice o f the surgical access. A case of surgically treated giant splenic artery an eurysm associated with right benign renal lesion is presented with a review of the literature on this subject.