title: Laparoscopic resection of an undifferentiated pleomorphic splenic sarcoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Splenic tumors are rare. Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) of the spleen is one of the least common primary splenic tumors. Review of the literature shows that a laparoscopic resection has never been tried.
  
  
  METHODS
  We discuss the case of a 76-year-old man with a 7-cm MFH in the spleen and present a review of splenic sarcomas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient underwent a successful laparoscopic splenectomy; pathology revealed a rare undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma of the spleen. A review of the international literature identified 15 additional cases of primary splenic MFH. Survival was rarely longer than 15 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the spleen is an exceedingly rare tumor with a poor prognosis. In experienced hands, laparoscopic splenectomy is a feasible operative choice for primary splenic sarcoma.
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA; Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Asra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hashmi
authors.forename: Eitan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Podgaetz
authors.forename: Melanie L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Richards
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D051677:Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013156:Splenectomy / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed