The pitfalls of protocols - a case of postpartum splenic artery aneurysm rupture

M J Thomson; S Seshadri; S Swami; G F Strandvik; K Neales

doi:10.1136/bcr.02.2010.2743

The pitfalls of protocols - a case of postpartum splenic artery aneurysm rupture

BMJ Case Rep. 2010 Jul 21:2010:bcr0220102743. doi: 10.1136/bcr.02.2010.2743.

Authors

M J Thomson¹, S Seshadri, S Swami, G F Strandvik, K Neales

Affiliation

¹ Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, William Harvey Hospital, Kent, UK.

Abstract

The authors present a case of splenic artery aneurysm rupture, which neatly illustrates some of the problems of modern medical practice and the potential detriment of blind adherence to protocol driven care, without adequate reflection on the whole clinical picture and possible alternative diagnoses.

Publication types

Case Reports
Review

MeSH terms

Adult
Aneurysm / diagnostic imaging*
Aneurysm, Ruptured / diagnostic imaging*
Aneurysm, Ruptured / therapy*
Angiography / methods
Balloon Occlusion / methods*
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Gestational Age
Humans
Labor, Obstetric
Obstetric Labor Complications / diagnosis
Obstetric Labor Complications / surgery
Postpartum Period
Pregnancy
Pulmonary Embolism / diagnosis*
Pulmonary Embolism / therapy
Radiography, Interventional / methods
Rare Diseases
Risk Assessment
Splenic Artery*
Treatment Outcome