Splenic Abscess Associated with Endocarditis in a Patient on Hemodialysis : A Case Report

• Published in: Journal of Korean medical science pp. 313 - 315
• Main Authors: Kim Hyun Soo, Cho Min Seok, Hwang Seung Hwan, 마성권, 김수완, 김남호, Choi Ki Chul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 대한의학회 01.04.2005
• Subjects: 의학일반
• ISSN: 1011-8934; 1598-6357

Splenic abscess is an unusual condition usually seen in immunocompromised patients or associated with intravenous drug abuses. Several conditions including trauma, immunodeficiency, corticosteroid and/or immunosuppressive therapy and diabetes mellitus have been listed under the predisposing factors for a splenic abscess. Splenic abscess in a patient on hemodialysis is a rare but life-threatening condition if not corrected. We describe a case of splenic abscess with bacterial endocarditis on maintenance hemodialysis. He had staphylococcal septicemia secondary to bacterial endocarditis at the mitral valve from the dialysis access-site infection. Although hematologic seeding from endocarditis has been the predis-posing factor for splenic abscess, we postulate that access-site infections may predispose hemodialysis patients to splenic abscess. Splenic abscess may be considered as one of the causes when patients on hemodialysis develop unex-plained fever. KCI Citation Count: 6