Laparoscopic surgery with spleen preservation to treat primary splenic pregnancy: Case report and literature review

Splenic pregnancy is a rare form of ectopic pregnancy, with only 21 cases reported in PubMed since 1970. Here we report the case of a healthy 28‐year‐old woman with splenic pregnancy who complained of menolipsis lasting 56 days and left upper quadrant pain lasting 30 days. The level of β‐human chorionic gonadotropin in serum was 8399 mIU/mL, and transvaginal ultrasonography showed the uterine cavity to be empty without signs of adnexal mass. Subsequent abdominal ultrasonography detected a hyperechoic mass below the spleen containing an anechoic mass measuring 2.6 × 1.2 × 1.6 cm. Laparoscopy detected a gestational mass measuring 6.0 × 4.0 × 3.0 cm on the lower border of the spleen. Pregnancy tissues and a clot were removed under laparoscopic guidance, and the spleen was preserved. Our case suggests that removal of chorionic villi tissue, although not a standard procedure, may be effective for treating splenic pregnancy.