Spleen Laceration in an Elite Hockey Athlete: A Case Report
Poster Number
14
Introduction/Abstract
A 24-year-old semi-professional hockey athlete was competing in the first period of a game, when he made contact with an opposing athlete. He was pushed into the boards on the railing of the ice hockey rink by the opposing player, and sustained a large impact to his abdomen. The hockey athlete was evaluated by a physician on the bench and finished the rest of the game with some mild abdominal pain and retuned to his hotel room for the night. The athlete was then taken to the emergency room 5 hours post-game after passing out and having extreme pain in his abdominal region. Differential Diagnosis: Rib fracture, intercostal contusion, intercostal strain.
Purpose
To educate the Athletic Training community about an uncommon, but potentially life threatening injury to the spleen that occurred in an elite hockey athlete during athletic competition.
Method
Treatment: The athlete was kept in the hospital five days after the initial injury, with no surgical intervention. He was kept on physical activity restriction 3 weeks after discharge and then started light activity 6 – 10 weeks after the injury. This was followed by a progression to light weights upon reaching 12 weeks post-injury. Return to full activity was granted 7 months after the initial injury.
Results
Uniqueness: Spleen lacerations occur due to a traumatic blunt force trauma, but are most commonly found in motor vehicle accidents as opposed to athletic events. Clinicians that are involved with the evaluation and treatment of athletes who compete in contact sports are not as apt to recognize the signs and symptoms of a splenic injury.
Significance
It is necessary that health care professionals keep in mind the possibility of injury to the spleen when evaluating an athlete that has had extreme trauma to the abdominal region.
Location
DeRosa University Center, Stockton campus, University of the Pacific
Format
Poster Presentation
Spleen Laceration in an Elite Hockey Athlete: A Case Report
DeRosa University Center, Stockton campus, University of the Pacific
A 24-year-old semi-professional hockey athlete was competing in the first period of a game, when he made contact with an opposing athlete. He was pushed into the boards on the railing of the ice hockey rink by the opposing player, and sustained a large impact to his abdomen. The hockey athlete was evaluated by a physician on the bench and finished the rest of the game with some mild abdominal pain and retuned to his hotel room for the night. The athlete was then taken to the emergency room 5 hours post-game after passing out and having extreme pain in his abdominal region. Differential Diagnosis: Rib fracture, intercostal contusion, intercostal strain.
