Splenic amyloidosis: a rare cause of spontaneous splenic rupture

Chan RS, Abdul Aziz YF, Chandran P, Ng EK
Correspondence: Dr Chan Ruoh Shyuan, ruohshyuan@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
A 62 year-old woman who presented with an atraumatic acute abdomen was discovered to have haemoperitoneum with splenic rupture on urgent computed tomography and was immediately referred for life-saving emergency splenectomy. Histopathological examination revealed secondary splenic amyloidosis. The patient was later found to be suffering from infective endocarditis secondary to her permanent cardiac pacemaker. This report describes a patient who could have suffered from a long-standing infected vegetation on a permanent cardiac pacemaker, which led to splenic amyloidosis and spontaneous splenic rupture.

Keywords: amyloidosis, pacemaker vegetations, splenic rupture
Singapore Med J 2011; 52(11): e232-e235