title: [Splenic injury as a complication of colonoscopy].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Splenic injury is a rare complication of colonoscopy. Due to the nonspecific clinical presentation of patients with a splenic injury, it is frequently overlooked.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 75-year-old woman came to the emergency department with abdominal pain and fainting one day after undergoing colonoscopy. She was admitted to the hospital with the preliminary diagnosis of abdominal pain after colonoscopy. The following day a remarkable drop in her haemoglobin was seen. A CT scan with contrast showed a subcapsular bleeding in the spleen. The patient was treated conservatively and recovered well.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In every patient with abdominal pain and fainting following colonoscopy, splenic injury should be considered in the differential diagnosis, especially in high-risk groups. If splenic injury is diagnosed in an early stage, adequate therapy can be started promptly.
authors.affiliation: Antonius Ziekenhuis, Sneek.
authors.forename: Maaike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hettema
authors.forename: Saskia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wolt
authors.forename: Frits W L
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: van der Neut
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D000368:Aged; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013154:Spleen / Q000293:injuries*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed