Bowel obstruction due to infarcted splenosis.

We have presented a case of splenosis (autotransplantation of splenic tissue) after traumatic rupture of the spleen, which produced bowel obstruction. Although rarely symptomatic, these splenic implants must be considered in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain with or without intestinal obstruction in all postsplenectomy patients. When an incidental finding at exploratory celiotomy, these implants should be preserved as a means of retaining splenic function and preventing the complication of postsplenectomy sepsis.