Abdominal peritoneal splenosis (clinical case)

Background. Splenosis, or heterotopic autotransplantation of spleen tissue, is a benign disease, occurring in patient after splenectomy. This formation demands correct differential diagnosis because it is often diagnosed as a tumor. Main methods of splenosis diagnosis are ultrasound inspection, CT, MRI, but detailed anamnesis is also important to set the correct diagnosis. The clinical case in this report is aimed to show importance of timely and correct diagnosis which will allow to avoid unnecessary invasive diagnostic procedures, late diagnosis and decreasing of medical assistance quality.
Clinical case. patient 61 y. o. is suspected on a tumor in left iliac region. He noted the trauma after falling on a back. The inspection was performed: CT of iliac region showed formation in the small intestines. Splenectomy was carried out 20 years ago. The patient is set to the clinical medical center “Medicinsky gorod” to a surgeon-oncologist. physical examination and laboratory analysis showed no pathological changes. CT of abdominal organs showed formation with regular edges. MRI of pelvic organs with contrast agent showed formation accumulating contrast irregularly. Control CT of abdominal organs showed no increasing of formation size.
Conclusion. Abdominal splenosis is a benign disease, occurring after spleen tissue implantation in the abdominal cavity after spleen trauma or splenectomy. Splenosis course is usually asymptomatic and it is often diagnoses as a peritoneal canceromatosis mistakenly. Splenosis has to be included in the differential diagnosis in patients with trauma or splenectomy in anamnesis.