Old complication, new presentation: A case of the spleen taking the bullet

Abstract

We report a case of a 43-year-old man who presented to the accident and emergency department with acute abdominal pain. Ultrasound investigation showed non-specific splenic pathology and treatment for a splenic abscess was started. The patient later described a history of episodic, cardiac-sounding chest pain occurring at rest, the most recent case of which (6 days prior to admission) had been unusually severe. ECG showed anterior Q waves and aneurysm-type ST-T segment changes. Echocardiography, coupled with a CT scan of the abdomen, revealed the aetiology. The patient had sustained an anterolateral myocardial infarction, which had led to mural thrombus formation and secondary embolisation to the spleen, with no other end organ damage detected. The patient responded well to conservative management of the splenic infarct and initiation on the acute coronary syndrome pathway. Coronary angiography showed mild disease of the proximal left anterior descending artery. Cardiac MRI at 1 month confirmed an ischaemic aetiology.