Splenic abscess is a rare clinical entity as described in literature. The incidence is in the range of 0.14–0.7% and it has a high mortality rate. Hence, it is important to know its clinical presentation and complications, so that it can be treated early. We report a 40-year-old diabetic man who presented with fever with chills and rigor for the last 9 days and heaviness in the left hypochondrium for the last 6 days. He was initially diagnosed as having splenomegaly due to Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax), but was later found to have a splenic abscess due to Escherichia coli (E. coli). This was successfully managed by catheter drainage (CD) and antibiotic treatment.
ParisSWeissSMAyersWHJrClarkeLE. Splenic abscess. Am Surg1994; 60: 358–361.
2.
MoriokaHYanagisawaNSuganumaAImamuraAAjisawaA. Bilateral emphysematous pyelonephritis with a splenic abscess. Intern Med2013; 52: 147–150.
3.
Llenas-GarcíaJFernández-RuizMCaurcelLEnguita-VallsAVila-SantosJGuerra-ValesJM. Splenic abscess: a review of 22 cases in a single institution. Eur J Intern Med2009; 20: 537–539.
4.
NgKKLeeTYWanYLTanCFLuiKWCheungYC. Splenic abscess: diagnosis and management. Hepatogastroenterology2002; 49: 567–571.
TungCCChenFCLoCJ. Splenic abscess: an easily overlooked disease?Am Surg2006; 72: 322–322.
9.
CivardiGVallisaDBerteRGiorgioAFiliceCCaremaniM. Ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy of the spleen: high clinical efficacy and low risk in a multicenter Italian study. Am J Hematol2001; 67: 93–99.
10.
ZeremEBergslandJ. Ultrasound guided percutaneous treatment for splenic abscesses: the significance in treatment of critically ill patients. World J Gastroenterol2006; 12: 7341–7345.
11.
LeeWSChoiSTKimKK. Splenic abscess: a single institution study and review of the literature. Yonsei Med J2011; 52: 288–292.
12.
VolkMStrotzerM. [Diagnostic imaging of splenic disease]. Radiologie2006; 46: 229;quiz 244.
