Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is an established and extensively used treatment alternative for urinary calculi. It is also an established method of dealing with pancreatic duct calculi complementing endoscopic techniques in selected cases. Three reports of splenic injury following and probably caused by ESWL for urinary calculi have previously been published. We report a case of splenic rupture presenting with life-threatening hemorrhage 6 days after a single ESWL therapy session for pancreatic duct calculi.
Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel