Guidewires as Embolic Agents? Embolotherapy of Large Splenic Artery Aneurysms

Abstract

Splenic artery aneurysms are among the more frequently diagnosed intra-abdominal aneurysms and are not infrequent in patients with raised portal venous pressure often requiring endovascular or surgical therapy. A 36-year-old female patient with Non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis and portal hypertension was diagnosed with multiple large splenic artery aneurysms for which she was initially operated which resulted in substantial blood loss during dissection that required embolotherapy. Initial attempts at coil embolization proved unsuccessful due to the wide aneurysmal neck and flow characteristics. Following which the aneurysmal sac was packed with multiple guidewires to act as a scaffold for further coil embolization. Subsequently, hemostasis was achieved and the patient underwent splenectomy later thereby demonstrating that embolization of large aneurysms can be accomplished with reasonable efficacy using guidewires.