Spontaneous Splenic Rupture in a Case of Adult T Cell Leukemia

Eiji Minato, Ippei Fujino, Nobuhito Sugihira, Kazuo Matsumoto, Kouichi Shima and Chikao Miki^*

Shingu Municipal Medical Center
Second Department of Surgery, Mie University School of Medicine^*

A 72-year-old man was admitted to our hospital presenting with hypotension and abdominal distension. Laboratory findings on admission revealed an abnormally increased number of leucocytes, composed of atypical lymphocytes and an elevated serum level of anti HTLV-1 antibody, suggestive of adult T cell leukemia (ATL) . Abdominal CT scan showed a massive fluid collection and a laceration of the spleen. Emergency laparotomy revealed a massive hemoperitoneum due to rupture of the spleen, and the spleen was excised. Histologically, the spleen was infiltrated with ATL cells. Spontaneous splenic rupture due to leukemia is relatively rare. We report on this case together with some bibliographic comments.

Key words
spontaneous splenic rupture, adult T cell leukemia

Reprint requests
Eiji Minato Shingu Municipal Medical Center 18-7 Hachibuse, Shingu, 647-0072 JAPAN

Accepted
May 27, 2003

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