Pathologic-spontaneous-rupture of the spleen as a presenting sign of splenic T-Cell lymphoma : Case report with review

A 39 year-old man presented for surgery with epigastric pain, tachycardia, hypotension and a progressive decrease of hemoglobin due to blood loss. Immediate abdominal ultrasonography followed by prompt paracentesis revealed massive intraperitoneal hemorrhage. During emergency laparotomy, a linear, actively bleeding rupture of an enlarged spleen was found and splenectomy was performed. The patient survived and the post-operative course was uneventful. Histopathology of the spleen as well as bone marrow biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of T-Cell lymphoma. Chemotherapy was initiated 3 weeks after surgery. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of previously undiagnosed T-Cell lymphoma presenting as pathologic rupture of the spleen.