Splenic injury as a complication of colonoscopy: more common than we think?
Splenic injury during colonoscopy is thought to be rare. The case reported here would not have been diagnosed if the patient had not presented with a pleural effusion. It is likely that this complication may present with differing severities of clinical features with a significant proportion being thought to be due to expected postcolonoscopy insufflation discomfort. This complication is under-recognised and under-reported and therefore is unlikely to be thought of as a diagnosis. A 63-year-old woman had an elective day case colonoscopy but did not seek medical attention for the abdominal pain following the procedure. She presented to hospital 6 weeks after the procedure with dyspnoea and hypoxia. She was diagnosed with a parapneumonic pleural effusion but the CT scan also discovered a splenic haematoma for which there was no other cause in her history other than the colonoscopy 6 weeks prior.
Mid Cheshire NHS Trust, Crewe, UK.
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D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome