Organ-preserving embolization of a giant splenic hemangioma in an adult

Splenic hemangioma is a rare benign tumor, often found incidentally. Large hemangiomas bear a high risk of spontaneous rupture, an acute condition often life-threatening that requires immediate intervention. The spleen's vital role in immunity and blood filtration mandates organ-preserving management of conditions such as hypersplenism or large lesions such as hemangiomas. A 51-year-old patient was referred to our department for abdominal pain due to a giant spleen hemangioma (6,6 × 6,3 × 5,6) cm in size. The patient was treated with hemangioma embolization through the splenic artery branches that fed the lesion, without any complications. Two years post-embolization the patient mentioned no symptoms and the hemangioma was measured (3 × 2) cm.Background The patient was referred to our department due to the large size of the lesion and the patient's preference to avoid surgery and maintain the spleen. Our case report aims to underline (a) the safety and feasibility of the protocol among interventional radiologists, surgeons, and patients, (b) the benefit of relieving symptoms without losing a vital organ, and (c) the lower complication rate and hospital days compared with surgery. There are few reported cases of embolization of large spleen hemangioma. While Choi et al. (BMC Pediatr. 2018 12;18(1):354) report a similar case in a child. This case report describes the procedure in a stable adult and provides a 2-year follow-up.