Gastrosplenic fistula: A rare complication of splenic abscess

Gastrosplenic fistulas are rare complications of malignant gastric or splenic diseases and, less frequently, are the result of benign diseases such as gastric ulcers and Crohn's disease. Spontaneous gastrosplenic fistula as a result of splenic abcess has not been reported in the literature so far. A 70-year-old man presented with a splenic abscess which had spontaneously developed a gastrosplenic fistula. The fistula was diagnosed by computed tomography scan and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and was successfully managed by splenectomy with en bloc resection of part of the greater curvature of the stomach. Although gastrosplenic fistulas are a relatively rare complication of gastric or splenic diseases, an awareness might lead the clinician to early recognition and surgery can be offered earlier as the treatment of choice.