Splenic infarction after warfarin discontinuation during atrial fibrillation
Trappolini, M.; Scorzai, A.; Loguercio, V.; Stoppo, M.; Sebastianelli, A.; Iannotta, M.; Del Porto, F.; Proietta, M.; Aliberti, G.
La Clinica Terapeutica 159(6): 435-437
2008
ISSN/ISBN: 1972-6007 PMID: 19169604 Document Number: 615948
We describe a case of patient with splenic infarction, admitted to our department for sudden abdominal pain and fever after discontinuation of anticoagulant therapy for atrial fibrillation, complicating a dilated myocardiopathy and mechanical prosthetic valve. Diagnosis of splenic infarction was made by enhanced-contrast computed tomography, while ultrasounds and radiography were negative. Anticoagulant therapy, gold-standard treatment, was followed by fast clinical improvement. Moreover, splenic infarction should be considered in all cases of acute or chronic pain in left hypochondrium and especially in patients with emboligenous cardiopathies or atrial fibrillation, the most common arrhythmia source of peripheral embolism in clinical practice.