Splenic embolus: 13 cases from a single medical department.
BACKGROUND
Despite the spleen having a very rich blood supply, there is a paucity of reports of splenic emboli.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the incidence of splenic emboli treated in a single general internal medicine department over the last 3 years.


METHODS
We examined the records of a 35 bed internal medicine department in a hospital in the center of Israel.


RESULTS
Over a period of 3 years 13 patients admitted to one internal medicine department developed acute abdominal pain and areas of hypoperfusion in the spleen on contrast computed tomography imaging. The patients were treated with anticoagulants, their course was benign and there were no long-term sequelae.


CONCLUSIONS
Embolus to the spleen is not rare in an internal medicine department. Diagnosis can be easily made by contrast CT scanning, and treatment with anticoagulants results in a good prognosis.
Hazanov
Natasha
N
Department of Internal Medicine C, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel.
Attali
Malka
M
Somin
Marina
M
Beilinson
Nick
N
Goland
Sorel
S
Katz
Miriam
M
Malnick
Stephen D H
SD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004617:Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007388:Internal Medicine; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013154:Spleen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014600:Utilization Review
D000925:Anticoagulants