Emergency splenectomy in a patient with splenic marginal zone lymphoma, acute portal vein thrombosis, and chronic viral hepatitis b

Abstract

Splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) is a type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NL) that occurs in 2 out of 100 cases and is more common in women aged >60 years. A sluggish, asymptomatic course of the disease does not exclude transformation into a malignant form that occurs in 25% of patients with SMZL. Another equally important sign of an NL is thrombosis that occurs in 3.6% to 17.1% of the cases. In this report, we present a case of emergency splenectomy in a patient owing to difficulties in the diagnosis of SMZL, rapid onset of acute portal vein thrombosis, and the fulminant enlargement of the spleen accompanied by an increased risk of its rupture. Chronic hepatitis B was likely the trigger for transformation of the disease to an aggressive course. Portal vein thrombosis and the aggressive course of SMZL with rapid enlargement of the spleen and threat of its rupture in the background of viral hepatitis B required emergency splenectomy followed by anticoagulant, antiviral, and antitumor therapy.