Spontaneous rupture of splenic artery aneurysm in pregnancy. Report of first known antepartum rupture with maternal and fetal survival.

The first known case of spontaneous antepartum rupture of a splenic artery aneurysm in pregnancy with maternal and fetal survival is reported. The removal of the aneurysm and splenectomy were accomplished without uterine evacuation of a 30-week gestation. A brief review of the recent literature revealed (1) the universal failure to diagnose this condition in pregnancy prior to rupture, (2) the characteristic clinical picture in pregnancy of double-rupture with a recovery phase lasting minutes to weeks, and (3) the important clinical features of abdominal hemorrhage in pregnancy from nonobstetric sources.