Thoracic splenosis presenting with hemoptysis

Abstract

Thoracic splenosis (post-traumatic autotransplantation of splenic tissue) is rare and generally asymptomatic. We report a patient with thoracic splenosis presenting with repeated hemoptysis. The blood supply of the hypervascular splenic transplants originated from a bronchial and an intercostal artery. Hemoptysis improved after surgical exeresis of splenosis. Recognizing splenosis presenting with hemoptysis is important, since percutaneous embolotherapy could be hazardous because of the risk of ectopic splenic tissue infarction.