Splenic Injury: A Curious Complication of Colonoscopy

Colonoscopies are generally considered a safe procedure with an overall complication rate of 0.5%. Splenic injuries, including laceration, subcapsular hematoma, and rupture, have been thought to be underreported in the currently available literature. The etiology of splenic injury remains unknown, although excessive splenocolic ligament stretching and traction of adhesions have been hypothesized to play a role in its development. Even though conservative, percutaneous, and surgical strategies have been described in the literature, these strategies have been associated with higher mortality, and there is no consensus on the optimal approach to management. We present the case of a patient who sustained a splenic injury after a colonoscopy and was successfully managed with conservative measures.