Spontaneous haemorrhage from a left gastric artery aneurysm as a cause of acute abdominal pain

Abstract

Visceral artery aneurysms are rare, with a reported incidence of less than 2% in the general population.1,2 Aneurysms of the left gastric artery are particularly uncommon, accounting for 4% of all visceral aneurysms.3,4 Although the majority are discovered incidentally and can be managed conservatively, prompt treatment of those ruptured or at risk of rupture is crucial to reduce the associated morbidity. Increasing awareness of visceral artery aneurysms as a cause of spontaneous intraperitoneal haemorrhage will improve early recognition and impact on survival. We present a rare case of spontaneous rupture of a left gastric artery aneurysm.