Purpose of the study: To underline value of the preoperative splenic embolization with haemostatic aim to facilitate partial splenectomy.
Material: Observation of a 23-year-old woman, admitted for pain, anemia, and mass of the left hypochondrium. Sonography, helical CT and MRI showed that the bulky mass was developed from the upper pole of spleen, and dislodged the left kidney towards the pelvis. This mass had fibrous characteristics in favour of a primary lesion with recent bleeding and was compatible with a splenic hamartoma.
Methods: Selective partial splenic embolization with haemostatic aim using metal coils, immediately followed by surgery.
Results: Preoperative embolisation made possible to carry out under optimal surgical conditions a partial splenectomy with en-bloc resection of the splenic mass. Histologic diagnosis was splenic hamartoma of pulpar type.
Conclusion: This case illustrates the interest of accurate characterization of splenic lesions by several imaging techniques allowing indication for conservative surgery, and of preoperative embolization facilitating a partial splenectomy.