Spontaneous rupture of a normal spleen following bronchoplastic left lung lower lobectomy.

Rupture of the spleen is a common event associated with trauma, infectious diseases, neoplasia and many systemic disorders affecting the reticuloendothelial system. A rare subtype of rupture occurring spontaneously and arising from a normal spleen was recognized as a distinct clinicopathologic entity. It has been reported in association with trivial insults such as vomiting and coughing. We report a case of a patient with spontaneous rupture of a normal spleen observed after severe coughing on the 3rd postoperative day following bronchoplastic left lung lower lobectomy combined with S4, S5 segmentectomy.