Delayed splenic rupture: real or imaginary?

Although splenic injury is the most frequent abdominal injury resulting from blunt trauma, delayed splenic rupture is a rare event. From 1981 to 1990, 75 patients treated at St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center (Youngstown, OH) had blunt splenic injury. Splenic rupture was delayed in six of these patients (8%). More severe trauma, such as occurs with motor vehicle accidents, is more likely to lead to immediate rupture. Lesser trauma resulting from minor falls or fights is more likely to lead to delayed rupture. Subcapsular hematoma is the most common etiology for delayed splenic rupture. Although there is no reliable symptom or sign during the latent period, abdominal pain occurs almost uniformly and Kehr's sign is quite common. Peritoneal lavage and abdominal computerized axial tomography scan are accurate in diagnosing splenic rupture. Unfortunately, they are not always reliable in predicting delayed rupture.