Accelerated Splenic Enlargement after Splenic Trauma: Influence of Splenic Arterial Embolization

Splenic injury is common in blunt trauma. As post-injury splenic volume changes are unclear, the aim of this study was to elucidate such changes. This retrospective study included 18 patients (14 males, median age 24.5 years) with a splenic injury treated between January 2009 and December 2016. All underwent computed tomography (CT) during admission to our hospital and at the last follow-up visit. The splenic volumes on the first and last enhanced delayed-phase CT scans were compared. The fluid response, transfusion, injury severity score, trauma grade, and extent of splenic artery embolization (SAE) were obtained from medical records. The volume change was assessed with a Mann-Whitney U-test. The volume change in patients treated conservatively was also evaluated to study the natural course after injury. On the first and last scans, the median splenic volume was 105.8 (interquartile range [IQR] 65.4–139.7) and 123.6 (IQR 102.0–225.0) cm3, respectively. The volume increased by 67 (-0.4 ± 120.0) %. SAE was the only factor significantly related to the volume change (p < 0.05). The median follow-up period was 13 (IQR 6–20) days. In conservatively treated patients, the splenic volume change was correlated with the interval between the first and last CT studies. Our findings suggest that the volume of the injured spleen increases in the natural course after trauma. SAE resulted in a decrease in the splenic volume.