Patient N.G. T (39 years old, residing in Nhieu Loc ward, Ho Chi Minh City) was brought to the hospital in a state of pain and tightness in the left abdomen, sharp pain behind the back after being in a traffic accident. Immediately upon admission, determining that this was a case of closed abdominal injury with a risk of complicated development, emergency doctors quickly examined and prescribed abdominal ultrasound at the bedside.
Ultrasound results recorded free fluid in the abdominal cavity, raising suspicion that Ms. T. was in a state of internal bleeding. Immediately, a specialized diagnostic procedure was activated, and the patient was taken for a computed abdominal tomography (CT scan) with contrast. The imaging results showed that the spleen parenchyma was damaged, especially a false splenic aneurysm sac was detected with a risk of rupture. Doctors assessed the risk of recurrent bleeding, which is dangerous to the patient's life if not treated promptly.
After a thorough clinical examination and assessment of the lesions on the CT scan, the team decided to choose a modern method: minimally invasive endovascular intervention to block the pseudo-aneurysm.
In the intervention room, doctors inserted a very small catheter from the femur artery upwards to the spleen artery, accurately approaching the location of the damaged blood vessel branch to create a pseudo-angioplasty sac. From there, specialized vascular blocking material was pumped in to completely seal the bleeding location. The entire process took place quickly, both eliminating the risk of bleeding and helping to maximally preserve the remaining healthy spleen parenchyma, preventing the patient from having a major splenectomy.
After intervention, Ms. T.'s hemodynamic status stabilized. She only felt mild abdominal pain for the first 1-2 days and then fully recovered, quickly returning to normal activities.
Ms. N.G. T shared: "When I first had an accident, I just thought I was in pain from a collision, so I didn't think the situation would be so serious. When the doctors explained about the injury and the risk of bleeding, I was quite worried. I am very grateful to the doctors for quickly discovering and handling it, helping me not have to have surgery and be able to recover quickly to return to normal life.
Dr. Tran Dinh Hoang, Interventional X-ray Unit - Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Gia Dinh People's Hospital shared: "Physectomy of the spleen artery after abdominal trauma is a dangerous complication, which can rupture causing abdominal bleeding and threatening life. Interventional X-ray techniques help block blood vessels through small catheters, stop bleeding quickly, are less invasive and especially preserve the spleen.
