Spleen rupture due to brucellosis
Orhan Yağmurkaya1, Serhat Oğuz2, Eyüp Kahya3, Hüseyin Aksoy4, Doğan Albayrak2, Tamer Sağıroğlu2
1Clinic of General Surgery, Sakarya University Training and Research Hospital, Sakarya, Turkey
2Department of General Surgery, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
3Clinic of General Surgery, Edirne Public Hospital, Edirne, Turkey
4Clinic of General Surgery, Yozgat Public Hospital, Yozgat, Turkey
Abstract
Brucellosis is a common zoonotic infection worldwide; it is caused by infection with the bacterial species Brucella and leads to severe diseases in humans and animals. In Turkey, this bacterial species has not been completely eradicated and is commonly found in animals (such as goats or sheep). Brucellosis can lead to various symptoms, affect multiple systems, and cause splenomegaly in the case of spleen involvement. In contrast to traumatic spleen ruptures, spontaneous spleen ruptures are rare and most commonly occur because of infectious causes. A 52-year-old man was treated at our infectious diseases clinic for Brucella endocarditis. Due to sudden abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and vertigo, the patient was evaluated by our team of doctors at the same clinic. The patient had widespread sensitivity in the abdominal region, as well as defense and rebound symptoms. Emergency abdominal tomography revealed a ruptured spleen and widespread hemorrhagic fluid in the abdomen. Exploration revealed multiple ruptures in the spleen capsule. The patient underwent splenectomy and did not experience any complications during the postoperative period. Spontaneous spleen rupture is a rare clinical condition that should be considered in patients who are hospitalized at internal medicine clinics for infectious, hematogenic, and metabolic causes, as well as in those who have sudden abdominal pain and hypovolemia.
Keywords: Brucella, spontaneous spleen rupture, hemorrhagic shock
Cite this article as: Yağmurkaya O, Oğuz S, Kahya E, Aksoy H, Albayrak D, Sağıroğlu T. Spleen rupture due to brucellosis. Turk J Surg 2021; 37 (1): 58-60.
Written informed consent was obtained from patient who participated in this case.
Externally peer-reviewed.
Concept - O.Y., S.O., T.S.; Design - O.Y., E.K., H.A., D.A.; Supervision - O.Y., D.A., T.S.; Materials - O.Y, H.A., E.K., S .O.; Data Collection and/or Processing - O.Y., S.O., E.K.; Analysis and/or Interpretation - O.Y., D.A., T. A; Literature Search -O.Y., H.A.; Writing Manuscript - O.Y., D.A.; Critical Reviews - O.Y., D.A., T.S.
No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.
The authors declared that this study has received no financial support.