Successful embolization of the left gastric artery aneurysm obtained in preoperative diagnosis: a report of 2 cases.

Gastric artery aneurysm is rare and accounts for fewer than 5% of all splanchnic artery aneurysms. The diagnosis is usually established during emergent surgery or at autopsy because warning signs or symptoms are vague, absent, or unrecognized. Nearly 80% of the patients reported with gastric artery aneurysm die. Preoperative diagnosis of gastric artery aneurysm is an essential contribution to treat safely and effectively the aneurysms and to reduce the high mortality rate. We report a successful treatment with transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) of two cases of a left gastric artery aneurysm diagnosed using contrast-enhanced computed tomography. Case 1 was a ruptured aneurysm with shock. Embolization was successfully performed as the left gastric artery aneurysm was diagnosed by computed tomography at rupture. Case 2 had multiple hepatocellular carcinomas, and a left gastric artery aneurysm was diagnosed by follow-up computed tomography. Embolization was successfully performed for the left gastric artery aneurysm, and chemoembolization was repeatedly performed for multiple hepatocellular carcinomas after embolization of the aneurysm.