Splenic Infarction: Clinical Features and Associated Conditions

Splenic infarction occurs when the splenic artery or branch is occluded (i.e., thrombus). Patients with splenic infarctions classically present with acute left upper quadrant or flank pain. In this retrospective observational study, researchers described the clinical features of, and conditions associated with, splenic infarction.

Researchers identified 163 adults (mean age, 57) at two South Carolina hospitals who had splenic infarction based on clinical information and computed tomography (CT). Only 20% of patients presented with classic left upper quadrant pain; 47% had abdominal pain elsewhere, and 33% had no abdominal pain. Notably, 40% of patients had >1 predisposing condition: cardioembolism (25%), cancer (20%), sepsis (17%), inflammat…