title: Splenosis: a rare cause of gastrointestinal bleeding successfully treated with transarterial embolization.
abstract: Splenosis, the ectopic implantation of splenic tissue, most commonly occurs in the peritoneal cavity following traumatic splenic injury with subsequent splenectomy. This entity is asymptomatic in a vast majority of patients. Occult gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a relatively rare presentation of splenosis. Previous cases of splenosis resulting in refractory GI bleeding have been treated with surgical excision of the ectopic splenic implant. We report a case of splenosis presenting as occult GI bleeding that was eventually treated with transarterial embolization. This presents an alternative minimally invasive approach to treating a patient with refractory GI bleeding secondary to splenosis.
authors: Section of Body Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Washington Medical Center, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA, eleitz2@gmail.edu.
authors: Evan M
authors: EM
authors: Leitz
authors: Sharon W
authors: SW
authors: Kwan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009780:Occult Blood; D017890:Splenosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*