title: [Rupture of the spleen in angiosarcoma: a case report and review of the literature].
abstract: Splenic angiosarcoma is a rare neoplasm originating from endothelial cells of the blood vessels. Its incidence is about 0.14-0.25 per million. We report the case of a patient admitted in a state of hypovolaemic shock with haemoperitoneum due to rupture of the spleen. Splenectomy was performed with evacuation of the haemorrhagic effusion. The blood was aspirated and in part instilled during the operation through intraoperative blood salvage due to the large haemoperitoneum. Histological examination revealed a splenic angiosarcoma. Splenic angiosarcoma should be suspected in cases of splenomegaly with unknown anaemia and no lymphoma, leukaemia or myelofibrosis, because of its neoplastic aggressiveness and its invariably fatal outcome. It is important to perform a splenectomy before splenic rupture owing to its negative impact on long-term survival.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Chirurgica Generale e dei Trapianti d'Organo Università degli Studi di Parma.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sivelli
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Piccolo
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Soliani
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franzini
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ziegler
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sianesi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous; D005260:Female; D006394:Hemangiosarcoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006465:Hemoperitoneum / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D013160:Splenic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D013161:Splenic Rupture / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery