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Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella species. The most common hematological complications described are anemia and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Splenic infarction is an unusual complication of typhoid fever, and this presentation is rarely described. We report the case of a young female who presented with complaints of severe left upper quadrant pain after being diagnosed with typhoid fever. Computed tomography (CT) revealed multiple wedge-shaped splenic infarcts. She was treated with antibiotics and was also started on antiplatelets. She had a complete recovery with this management, and antiplatelets were tapered off on subsequent visits., (© Journal of the Association of Physicians of India 2024.)

Introduction: Splenic infarction is a rare event in clinical practice, diagnosed by CT scan. There are many causes. They often determine the treatment given. However, there is no consensus on etiological investigations., Methods: We present here an almost systematic review of the literature, based on data available on Pubmed from 1991 to 2022. Using the keywords "splenic infarct", from 1893 references, 11 cohort studies and 867 clinical cases were included in this review. Articles written in languages using alphabets other than Latin were excluded., Results and Conclusions: Analysis of these various studies has enabled us to draw up a list that is intended to be as exhaustive as possible of the causes of splenic infarction. The most frequent are emboligenic heart disease, hematological malignancies, solid neoplasia and certain infections. The descriptions available in the literature were mainly based on isolated clinical cases, not always making it possible to establish a causal link with the disease described, especially as around 20% of reported cases of splenic infarction were asymptomatic and potentially of incidental discovery. Based on the findings of this literature review, we propose a protocol for the etiological assessment of splenic infarcts., (Copyright © 2024 Société Nationale Française de Médecine Interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Plasmodium ovale malaria is usually considered a tropical infectious disease associated with low morbidity and mortality. However, severe disease and death have previously been reported., Case Presentation: A case of severe P. ovale malaria in a healthy Caucasian man with a triangle splenic infarction and clinical progression towards Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome was reported despite a rapid response to oral chloroquine treatment with 24-h parasitaemia clearance., Conclusion: Plasmodium ovale malaria is generally considered as a benign disease, with low parasitaemia. However, severe disease and death have occasionally been reported. It is important to be aware that occasionally it can progress to serious illness and death even in immunocompetent individuals., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Sickle cell trait (SCT), the heterozygous form of sickle cell disease, is generally thought of as a benign condition. However, it is possible for those with SCT to have serious complications, especially when they are exposed to high altitudes where oxygen levels are low., Case Report: We present a case of a 41-year-old man with a history of SCT who developed severe epigastric pain and nearly lost consciousness while traveling on a commercial airplane. His twin brother, who also has SCT, had a similar episode in the past and required a splenectomy. A splenic subcapsular hematoma was found in a computed tomography scan of the abdomen and pelvis with intravenous contrast. He was admitted and managed conservatively until his symptoms resolved. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Though SCT is prevalent in our population, the complications that can arise, such as altitude-associated splenic syndrome, have likely not been thoroughly investigated. Physicians should add this condition to their differential if they practice at locations near airports or in areas of higher altitude and if their patients have a past medical history of SCT., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

COVID-19 has been associated with the hypercoagulable state in the literature. Patients who are admitted to the hospital with severe COVID-19 may have some thrombotic complications. These patients have a high risk for venous and arterial thrombosis of large and small vessels. Here, a 42-year-old female with celiac artery thrombosis and splenic infarction after a history of mild COVID-19 was presented., Competing Interests: The author declares that he has no conflict of interest., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

We report the case of a 70-year-old man who developed a splenic infarction due to a thrombus in the pulmonary vein (PV) stump after left upper lobectomy (LUL). Preoperative imaging showed a mass measuring > 5 cm in the upper lobe of the left lung, and sputum cytology revealed squamous cell carcinoma. Therefore, video-assisted thoracoscopic LUL was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful but biochemical blood tests showed an increased inflammatory response. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed splenic infarction and a thrombus in the left superior PV stump. Prompt treatment with anticoagulants was administered, and the patient was discharged with mild recovery. However, the patient developed cerebral infarction after discharge and died 33 days after the surgery. Splenic infarction is a rare postoperative complication, with only three reported cases, including this report. However, this condition should be considered along with PV thrombus when evaluating an increased inflammatory response after LUL., (© 2021. The Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery.)

A wandering spleen is a very rare event characterised by the absence of the spleen in its anatomical position due to the hyperlaxity of its ligaments. We present a case of wandering spleen complicated by splenic vascular pedicle torsion, thrombosis and subsequent splenic infarction. Compression of the infarcted spleen on the rectosigmoid junction led to the development of a sigmoid volvulus, which presented as an acute large bowel obstruction. The patient underwent emergency laparotomy, splenectomy, sigmoid decompression and sigmoidopexy. After a follow-up period of two years, the volvulus had not recurred.

A 55-year-old man treated with polycythemia vera visited our hospital, complaining of left abdominal pain and dyspnea. He had received minocycline infusions three weeks earlier for mycoplasma pneumonia. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed pulmonary embolism and splenic infarction. Ultrasonography of the vein in the forearm revealed a thrombus filling the distal brachial veins to the radial veins on both sides. His condition improved after anticoagulant therapy, and right and left shunts were detected on transesophageal echocardiography. This suggested that thrombus in the forearm may have been the source of the embolism.

Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Introduction: Patients with sickle cell trait (SCT) are commonly considered as asymptomatic carriers. However, some clinical manifestations may occur., Methods: Here we present a retrospective descriptive study about SCT subjects with at least one complication diagnosed in a sickle cell disease referral center, in Paris, between 2008 and 2019. We also performed a literature review on the complications of SCT subjects., Results: Six patients (between 19 and 65 years old) were included. SCT was already known only for 4 of them at the time of the complication. Four patients presented with a splenic infarct after a stay in high altitude or a plane trip, one of them was associated with papillary necrosis; one patient had isolated papillary necrosis, and the last one had splenic sequestration. These complications happened for most of them after exposure to an unusual situation of hypoxia or deshydratation. Five out of 6 patients had a marked elevated C reactive protein., Conclusion: SCT may cause acute ischemic complications in a context of prolonged hypoxia or dehydration. The most commonly reported are the splenic infarct and the renal papillary necrosis. A study of hemoglobin should be considered in these clinical situations in patients with compatible ethnic origin., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

Scrub typhus has a variety of clinical presentations ranging from asymptomatic to fever with chills, myalgias, hepatitis, gastric ulcerations and pancreatitis, all being attributed to disseminated vasculitis, with splenic infarction being a rare presentation. A 26-year man, a resident of north India, presented with an acute febrile illness and abdominal pain, computed tomography scan of the abdomen was suggestive of a splenic infarct. After ruling out other aetiology, a positive IgM (ELISA) for scrub typhus led to treatment with oral doxycycline, following which the patient was discharged symptom-free. Rarely can splenic infarction be attributable to scrub typhus; so far, five such cases have been reported in the published literature.

Background: Sickle cell trait (SCT) is a common genetic abnormality in the so-called "sickle belts" in India. Splenic infarction often brings to medical attention an underlying SCT, when appropriately looked for. The hypoxic environment of an extreme high-altitude area (HAA) is conducive for developing a splenic infarct in an SCT individual not a native of these areas. Aims: We studied retrospectively 27 cases who presented with a splenic infarction during the last 4 years. Results: Twenty-five patients (92.5%) were diagnosed to have SCT, and 85% patients had developed splenic infarct on exposure to very HAAs. Clinically, splenomegaly was seen in 33% of patients with splenic infarct at presentation. The mean hemoglobin S was 36.92% in SCT individuals. A thrombus in the splenoportal axis was demonstrated in 22.2% of cases. Splenic rupture was a rare event, seen in only 3.5% of patients. Splenectomy was not required in any of the cases. Splenic abscess was not seen, and antibiotics were not required in any of the cases. We discuss the profile and management of these patients and review the literature on splenic infarction in HAA. Conclusion: SCT is commonly overlooked cause of splenic infarction and conservative management is effective in most of the cases. Splenectomy is required only in the rarest of rare cases. The profile and management of these patients and a review of the literature on splenic infarction in HAA has been discussed.

Splenic infarction is a rare entity in the paediatric age that, when found, is associated with other predisposing factors such as oncological, haematological or infectious diseases. It is whether asymptomatic or symptomatic with abdominal pain, fever and splenomegaly. There is no consensus on which is the best treatment option, in most cases deciding conservative or surgical management according to individual patient characteristics. We present the case of a patient with acute abdominal pain and fever with a diagnosis of massive splenic infarction without apparent aetiology that was managed conservatively with favourable evolution. It is important to consider this condition as a cause of abdominal pain associated with splenomegaly., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

Dillard S. You're the flight surgeon: splenic infarct following altitude exposure with sickle cell trait. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2019; 90(1):63-64.

BACKGROUND This is a case report of a male patient who presented with a history of right flank pain based on renal infarction. Initially the symptoms were misdiagnosed as acute pyelonephritis. CASE REPORT A 47-year-old male with a history of familial hypercholesterolemia and cerebral infarction presented at the Emergency Department with a 3-day history of acute right-sided flank pain. Physical examination revealed hypertension, subfebrile temperature, and costovertebral angle tenderness. Blood tests were unremarkable except for renal impairment, a high C-reactive protein level of 215 mg/L (normal <8 mg/dL) and an elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) of 1289 U/L (normal <248 U/L). Renal ultrasonography was normal. He was admitted with a presumed diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis and treated accordingly. However, 2 days later, we rejected this diagnosis as the urine culture was sterile. Based on the acute onset of symptoms and the initial high LDH, renal infarction was suspected. A computed tomography scan confirmed right-sided partial renal and splenic infarctions likely due to spreading emboli from atherosclerosis of the descending aorta. CONCLUSIONS Acute renal infarction is often missed or delayed as a diagnosis because patients often present with flank pain that can resemble more frequently encountered conditions such as pyelonephritis and nephrolithiasis. Renal infarction should be considered in cases with acute flank pain accompanied by (low-grade) fever, high LDH level, increased C-reactive protein level, hypertension, and renal impairment, especially in those patients with an increased risk of thromboembolism.

Babesiosis, caused by Babesia microti and B. divergens, is transmitted by Ixodid ticks. Symptoms of babesiosis vary from a mild flu-like illness to acute, severe, and sometimes fatal and fulminant disease. In Korea, 7 imported babesiosis cases and 1 endemic case have been reported. We report 2 cases of severe babesiosis initially mistaken as malaria. The first patient was complicated by shock and splenic infarction, the other co-infected with Lyme disease. As the population traveling abroad increases every year, physicians should be aware of babesiosis which mimics malaria, co-infection with other diseases, and its complications.

An accessory spleen is a rare entity which is usually asymptomatic. When symptomatic, it presents as an acute abdomen, with either torsion, rupture or haemorrhage. We present the case of a 20-year-old man who presented with chronic lower abdominal pain since 3 months and a lump in the left lower quadrant. On clinical examination and investigations, the lump was diagnosed as a mesenteric cyst, and an uncomplicated laparoscopic excision was performed. The postoperative histopathological examination reported it as an infarcted accessory spleen., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2018. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Splenic infarction after contralateral laparoscopic renal surgery has not, to our knowledge, been reported. The spleen is the most affected organ in sickle cell disease and the mechanism of auto infarction is thought to result from the crystallization of abnormal hemoglobin during periods of hypoxia or acidosis resulting in parenchymal ischemia and ultimately tissue necrosis. We report a case of 45 year old female with sickle cell disease who had an unremarkable spleen at the time of a laparoscopic right partial nephrectomy and was subsequently found to have marked diminution in her splenic volume.

Rationale: Splenic artery pseudoaneurysm induced by benign gastric ulcer is extremely rare and can lead to a fatal clinical situation. To the best of our knowledge, there are only five cases in the literature review. Therefore, it can be a diagnostic challenge for radiologists and clinicians because of rare incidence., Patient Concerns: The patient visited our hospital due to melena and dizziness., Diagnoses: The patient showed a huge ulcer and an exposed vessel in the posterior wall of the gastric high body during endoscopy. Angiography revealed a pseudoaneurysm of the splenic artery and contrast extravasation into the gastric lumen., Interventions: We performed coil embolization of splenic artery and gastrectomy., Outcomes: Postprocedural course was uneventful and led to patient discharge on day 8., Lessons: We suggest that the splenic artery pseudoaneurysm should be considered differential diagnosis in the patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and the presence of a splenic infarction may provide a diagnostic clue.

The diagnosis of splenic infarction is rarely reported in pregnant women. Current incidence of splenic infarction, especially during infectious endocardites as well as diagnostic methods used are poorly specified in the literature. We here report the case of a 26-year old woman with no particular previous history or cardiovascular risk factor who, at the end 14 weeks of amenorrhea, presented to the Emergency Department with febrile syndrome evolving over 10 days and abdominal pain of recent onset at the level of the left hypochondre. Clinical examination showed febrile patient with a temperature of 39.5°C, tenderness of the left hypochondre and panaritium at the level of the palm of the left hand and of the sole of the foot. Gynecological examination was strictly normal. Given this clinical picture, abdominal ultrasound showed mediosplenic anechoic area with hilar apex and with peripheral edges, suggesting splenic infarct. Etiological assessment included echocardiography showing thickened and remodeled oslerian graft on the mitral valve with large valve vegetation and MI grade II. Blood cultures were performed during the febrile peaks and were positive for golden staph. Patient's evolution was marked by the occurrence of large ischemic stroke and worsening of neurological condition, leading to death after several systemic emboli. Splenic infarction in a pregnant woman is very rare. However, clinical and radiological examination of the spleen must be performed in patients with acute abdominal pain of the left hypochondre. In the present case, pain of the left hypochondre associated with fever and Osler's false whitlow was found to be splenic infarction associated with infectious endocarditis. Probabilistic antibiotic therapy as first-line therapy is justified during infective endocarditis and should be secondarily adapted to the bacteriological results. Although rare, splenic infarction can have severe consequences such as abscesses or rupture, which must encourage vigilance.

Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Competing Interests: None.

A 24-year-old man presented with acute abdominal pain upon ascent to moderate altitude (3500 m). An immediate evaluation revealed a splenic infarct, and he was evacuated to sea level. Upon recovery, he was sent back to 3500 m without detailed etiological evaluation, whereupon he experienced recurrent episodes of left-side subcostal pain. Imaging suggested autosplenectomy, and workup revealed a negative thrombophilia profile but was positive for sickle cell trait (SCT). Individuals with SCT can be asymptomatic until exposure to severe hypoxia, upon which they can manifest clinically as sickle cell syndrome. We discuss the rare presentation of autosplenectomy in a patient with previously undiagnosed SCT on exposure to high altitude., (Copyright © 2017 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We present a case of an adult female with a past history of pulmonary sarcoidosis who presented with fever, night sweats, profound fatigue, and LUQ abdominal pain. Sarcoidosis is an afebrile disorder (excluding Lofgren's syndrome, Heerfordt's syndrome or neurosarcoidosis). Therefore, the presence of fever with sarcoidosis should suggest infection, usually viral, or lymphoma. Sarcoidosis-lymphoma syndrome describes the evolution of a lymphoma in long standing sarcoidosis. Fever aside, possible lymphoma is suggested by otherwise unexplained fever, pleural unilateral effusion, highly elevated ESR or ferritin levels. In this case, a viral etiology was suggested because of atypical lymphocytosis and mildly elevated transaminases. In this patient, CMV IgM titers and elevated CMV PCR viral load confirmed the diagnosis of CMV infectious mononucleosis with lung and liver involvement. In this case CMV infectious mononucleosis was accompanied by procoagulant activity which resulted a DVT, pulmonary emboli and splenic infarct. We believe this to be the first reported case of CMV infectious mononucleosis splenic infarct in a patient with a history of sarcoidosis., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Cytomegalovirus-associated thrombosis has been extensively reported in the medical literature, mainly in immune-compromised patients. However, the association with splenic infarcts has rarely been reported., Case Report: We report a 32-year-old Caucasian and immunocompetent woman who presented with a splenic infarction during a primary infection with CMV. The differential diagnostic ruled out embolic, hematologic, gastrointestinal and coagulation disorders. The outcome was favorable with symptomatic treatment., Conclusion: A primary infection with CMV must be added to the diagnostic work-up in the presence of a febrile splenic infarction, especially when it is associated with a biological mononucleosis reaction., (Copyright © 2016 Société Nationale Française de Médecine Interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Splenic steal syndrome (SSS) is a condition that can occur after orthotopic liver transplant (OLT). However, limited information is available about this condition., Methods: A systematic literature search of studies performed through May 2016 was conducted to identify reports of angiographically confirmed SSS and its variants. All of the factors relevant to this disorder were collected and analyzed., Results: A total of 219 cases of SSS and its variants were identified. The condition occurred in 4.7% of patients after OLT, and 93.7% of cases were diagnosed within the first 2 months after OLT. Conventional arteriography demonstrated nonocclusive hepatic artery hypoperfusion in all affected patients. Abnormal liver function was the most common clinical presentation, reported in 71.9% of cases. Less common presentations included thrombocytopenia, acute graft failure, and persistent ascites. On Doppler ultrasound, a high resistance index of the hepatic artery was present in 84.1% of patients. Increased spleen volume (≥829 mL) before OLT was suggestive of a potential risk for SSS. Splenic artery embolization (SAE) was performed in 94.7% of cases; this procedure immediately reversed flow abnormalities on Doppler ultrasound and improved liver function tests in 96.3% of cases., Conclusions: The risk factors and potential etiologies of SSS remain largely unknown. Future studies should investigate the possible role of pre-OLT portal hypertension and portal hyperperfusion after OLT in the development of this syndrome. Collecting intraoperative hemodynamic data and performing Doppler ultrasound screening after OLT could potentially help clinicians to identify patients at high risk of arterial hypoperfusion and prevent potential complications from hepatic artery hypoperfusion., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The clinical observation reported in the present article is of special interest for the forensic medical experts taking into consideration the rare occurrence of infarction of the spleen in the medical legal practice. More comprehensive detailed information about such cases is needed for their thorough in-depth investigation and systematization of the differential diagnostic signs and clinical manifestations of the injury (rupture of the spleen) and pathology of the organ (infarction) for the purpose of the more reliable differentiation between these conditions, creation of the relevant diagnostic database, formulation of more conclusive recommendations, and their better substantiation.

A 31-year-old Argentinian woman presented with a 3-week history of fever, night sweats, myalgia and lethargy following a work trip to Uganda where she ran a marathon. Malarial screens were negative but C reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and neutrophil count were raised and she was anaemic. A new pansystolic murmur was heard over the mitral valve and the transthoracic echocardiogram showed a large vegetation (>1 cm) with at least moderate mitral regurgitation. Blood cultures grew Neisseria elongata, subsp elongata treated initially with ceftriaxone then oral ciprofloxacin to complete 4 weeks of treatment. CT scan revealed a wedge-shaped area of low attenuation in the spleen in keeping with a splenic infarct. Seven days postadmission, the patient underwent a successful mitral valve repair. Recovery was complicated by a likely embolic infarct in the right frontal lobe, but the patient was discharged 12 days postoperative with no neurological sequelae., (2015 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.)

Objective and Importance: Sickle cell trait is widely known to be associated with splenic infarction at high altitudes. Although textbooks and reviews imply that this complication does not occur at low altitudes, we encountered such a case and identified several previous cases in the literature., Clinical Presentation: An 18-year-old woman with sickle cell trait who resided near sea level presented with left upper quadrant abdominal pain and was found to have multiple splenic infarcts. She was otherwise well, with no comorbidities that would predispose to hypoxemia or vascular injury. A review of the literature revealed 12 previously published cases of low-altitude splenic infarction in patients with sickle trait; 7 of those patients had comorbidities that likely predisposed to splenic infarction., Intervention: None., Conclusion: Spontaneous splenic infarction can occur in patients with sickle trait who live at low altitudes. It is unclear whether this complication is rare, or whether it is relatively common but under-recognized.

The authors present a case of a 24-year-old man with infectious mononucleosis (IM) due to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Among his symptoms, he reported abdominal pain in the upper left quadrant. An abdominal ultrasound and CT revealed an extensive splenic infarction. During the acute stage of this disease, the thrombophilic screening revealed reduced free protein S and elevated factor VIII, with normalisation on re-evaluation 6 weeks later. Splenic infarction is a very rare complication of IM due to EBV but should be considered in patients presenting abdominal pain. A hypercoagulability state should be investigated. To our knowledge, this is the first described case of a splenic infarction in a patient with IM due to EBV associated with a transient reduction of protein S and elevation of factor VIII. Thus, this work promotes the importance of including these factors in the thrombophilic screening conducted during the investigation of similar cases., (2015 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.)

Few case series provide a current, comprehensive, and detailed description of splenic infarction (SI), an uncommon condition.Retrospective chart review complemented by imaging evaluation and patient follow-up.All adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of acute SI discharged over 10 years from a single academic center were studied. A systematic literature review was done to compile a complete list of SI etiologies.SI was found in 32 patients, 0.016% of admissions. Ages ranged from 18 to 86 (median 64) years. Cardiogenic emboli were the predominant etiology (20/32, 62.5%) and atrial fibrillation was frequent. Other patients had autoimmune disease (12.5%), associated infection (12.5%), or hematological malignancy (6%). Nine of the patients (28%) had been previously healthy or with no recognized morbidity predisposing to SI. In 5 of 9 hitherto silent antiphospholipid syndrome or mitral valve disease had been identified. Two remained cryptogenic. Most patients presented with abdominal pain (84%), often felt in the left upper quadrant or epigastrium. Associated symptoms, leukocytosis or increased serum lactate dehydrogenase occurred inconsistently (∼25% each). Chest X-ray showed suggestive Lt. supra-diaphragmatic findings in 22%. Thus, the typical predisposing factors and/or clinical presentation should suggest SI to the clinician and be followed by early imaging by computed tomography (CT), highly useful also in atypical presentations. Complications were rare and patients were discharged after 6.5 days (median) on anticoagulant treatment. The systematic literature review revealed an extensive list of conditions underlying SI. In some, SI may be the first and presenting manifestation.SI is a rare event but should be considered in predisposed patients or those with any combination of suggestive clinical features, especially abdominal pain CT evaluation is diagnostic and the outcome is good.

The spleen is considered 'the forgotten organ' among radiologists and clinicians, although it is well visualised on abdominal computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Moreover, the spleen is commonly involved in a wide range of pathologic disorders. These include congenital anomalies, infectious and inflammatory diseases, vascular disorders, benign and malignant tumours, and systemic disorders. In this review, we focus on the key imaging findings of the normal spleen, its variants, as well as relevant congenital and acquired abnormalities. It is of utmost importance to recognise and correctly interpret the variable spectrum of abnormalities that may involve the spleen, in order to avoid unnecessary invasive procedures and to guide adequate treatment.

Brucellosis is globally the most prevalent multisystem infection of zoonotic origin, while it is still one of the most important public health problems in Turkey as non-pasteurised milk and dairy products are consumed. Early diagnosis is vital to prevent the possibly lethal complications caused by the disease. However, diagnosis might be delayed as the disease does not have a single and typical manifestation and presents with various symptoms of different systems. Brucellosis and associated splenic infarct have rarely been studied, there being few cases in the literature. One of the rare involvements in this disease is dermatological involvement, which has been found in less than 10 percent of brucellosis cases. In this study, we discuss a 17 year old male patient who was admitted to our hospital due to fever, abdominal pain, arthralgia and rash on legs, diagnosed with brucellosis through brucellosis tube agglutination test and found to have splenic infarct upon examination and leukocytoclastic vasculitis according to the skin biopsies in the light of the present literature.

Wandering spleen is a rare clinical entity characterised by splenic hypermobility resulting from laxity or maldevelopment of the suspensory gastrosplenic, splenorenal, and phrenicocolic ligaments. Diagnosis is quite difficult, especially in children because of the lack of symptoms and signs until splenic torsion have occurred. An array of investigations is possible but US with color Doppler, CT with intravenous contrast and MRI are frequently being used to diagnose wandering spleen with or without torsion. We present a case of 5 years old child with torsion of wandering spleen to highlight the importance of prompt diagnosis and management.

History and Clinical Findings: A 43-year-old woman of Ghanaian origin presented with severe upper abdominal pain starting on a long distance flight. Physical examination revealed tenderness on palpation in the left upper abdomen and flank. There was no report of pre-existing conditions or permanent medication in the medical history., Investigations and Diagnosis: Laboratory tests showed signs of haemolytic anemia and elevated inflammatory parameters. The "thick blood smear" was normal. Ultrasonography revealed an enlarged spleen (14×5 cm) with inhomogeneous parenchyma and vast, diffusely spread hypoechoic lesions in perihilar location, interpreted as extended splenic infarction. Symptom onset on a long distance flight, haemolytic anemia and extended splenic infarction led to the assumption of a vasoocclusive crisis with haemolysis. Moleculargenetic tests proved the presence of HbSC-sickle cell disease and heterozygous alpha-thalassemia., Treatment and Course: After infusion of crystalloid solution the patient was asymptomatic further on. Due to splenic infarction she received prophylactic treatment with Cefuroxim. A vaccination against pneumococci, meningococci and Haemophilus influenza B was recommended., Conclusions: Mild hypoxia and dehydration on a long distance flight can trigger a sickle cell crisis and may contribute to late clinical manifestation and diagnosis of sickle cell disease in some cases. Patients suffering from HbSC-sickle cell disease are at risk for the same life-threatening complications as patients with HbSS-sickle cell disease. HbSC-sickle cell disease should not be considered as a mild form of HbSS-sickle cell disease but as a separate disease with specific clinical manifestations. In contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, splenic infarction due to sickle cell crisis may markedly differ from "typical" arterial thromboembolic infarction., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Background: Splenic infarction is a well recognised complication of malaria that has been infrequently reported in the literature., Methods: A review was performed to describe the spectrum of characteristics associated with this complication., Results: Most patients presented with fever, left upper quadrant pain and/or splenomegaly, but no specific symptoms or signs appear to predict underlying infarction. The majority of cases reported were associated with autochthonous Plasmodium vivax infections, whereas cases reported in travellers were mostly due to P. falciparum acquired in Africa., Conclusion: Identification of infarction may allow specific recommendations for management, and associated complications such as splenic rupture should be excluded. Outcome is generally favourable and conservative management is the preferred option., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)