A Case of Splenosis in Douglas' Pouch due to Splenic Injury

Harumitsu Ando, Yoshihisa Shibata, Takehito Kato, Masaomi Suzuki, Kazuhiro Hiramatsu, Motoi Yoshihara, Takashi Ikeyama, Kiyoshi Suzumura and Matsuki Maeda*

Department of Surgery and Department of Pathology*, Toyohashi Municipal Hospital

We report a case of rectal splenosis with transverse colon carcinoma. A 68-year-old man who had undergone splenectomy 20 years earlier due to splenic injury reported constipation. A large bowel series showed transverse colon cancer. Contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a sub mucosal tumor (3 cm in diameter) in Douglas' pouch. We diagnosed transverse colon cancer and submucosal rectum tumor. The mass was found in laparotomy to be upon the surface of the rectum and was removed, followed by curative colectomy. Pathological studies showed splenic tissue, with splenosis as the definitive diagnosis. We concluded that splenosis is one of differential diagnoses possible, especially in patients with a history of surgery for splenic injury.

Key words
splenosis, splenic injury, accessory spleen

Reprint requests
Harumitsu Ando Department of Surgery, Toyohashi Municipal Hospital
50 Hachikennishi, Aotake-cho, Toyohashi, 441-8570 JAPAN

Accepted
December 15, 2006

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