• emergency exploratory laparotomy
• open abdominal management
• pneumoperitoneum
• splenic abscess

• Diabetes mellitus
• Pneumoperitoneum
• Splenic abscess
• Splenic perforation

Free intraperitoneal air is thought to be pathognomonic for perforation of a hollow viscus. Here, we present a patient with pain in the upper left quadrant, a mild fever and leukocytosis. Free air was suggested under the left diaphragm but during the explorative laparotomy no signs of gastric or diverticular perforation were seen. Further exploration and revision of the computed tomography revealed a perforated splenic abscess. Splenic abscesses are a rare clinical entity. Presenting symptoms are often non-specific and include upper abdominal pain, recurrent or persistent fever, nausea and vomiting, splenomegaly, leukocytosis and left lower chest abnormalities. Predisposing conditions can be very divergent and include depressed immunosuppressed state, metastatic or contiguous infection, splenic infarction and trauma. Splenic abscess should therefore be considered in a patient with fever, left upper abdominal pain and leukocytosis. Moreover, our case shows that splenic abscess can present in an exceptional way without clear underlying aetiology and should even be considered in the presence of free abdominal air.

• Spleen
• Abscess
• Pneumoperitoneum

We encountered a case of ruptured splenic abscess presenting as peritonitis and pneumoperitoneum. Our patient did not have an underlying neoplasm nor was she immunosuppressed. In our case, splenectomy was the treatment of choice in combination with antibiotics, which proved to be a good outcome for the patient. Work-up for the cause of the abscess was negative, although bacteria predominately found in the oral flora were isolated from the abscess. We strongly encourage that splenic abscess be considered on the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with pneumoperitoneum and peritonitis, although a clinical rarity.