A Novel Case of Splenic Injury After Shockwave Lithotripsy.
Publication/Presentation Date
7-1-2017
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Emergency departments (EDs) are gateways for patients presenting after minor surgical procedures, particularly shockwave lithotripsy. Complications include renal and extrarenal tissue injuries, with the latter having potentially serious consequences if not detected early.
CASE REPORT: We describe a 70-year-old male presenting to the ED for syncope. The patient underwent shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) for left kidney stones 1 day prior. Upon initial evaluation, the patient had normal vital signs and a normal physical examination, without complaints of abdominal pain. Close observation and regular patient re-evaluation led to the diagnosis of life-threatening injuries that included splenic rupture. Although this is a rare complication of SWL, with only eight published cases found in the literature, the patient's initial presentation of syncope without complaints of abdominal pain presented a unique diagnostic challenge. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Emergency physicians should be knowledgeable of the pre-existing conditions linked to higher rates of complications after shockwave lithotripsy and be able to identify and manage these potentially life-threatening complications.
Volume
53
Issue
1
First Page
15
Last Page
15
ISSN
0736-4679
Published In/Presented At
Zodda, D., Haley, M., & Sayegh, R. (2017). A Novel Case of Splenic Injury After Shockwave Lithotripsy. The Journal of emergency medicine, 53(1), e15–e17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2017.02.007
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
28408232
Department(s)
Fellows and Residents
Document Type
Article