Introduction:

Splenic infarction is one of the diseases that occur secondary to failure of acclimatization. In the reviewed literature, it is related to the presence of a sicklemic trait and since the 1950s there have been case reports worldwide.

Objective:

To describe a case of splenic infarction due to exposure to high altitude.

Case report:

We report the case of a patient who had a splenic infarct after exposure to high altitude. This patient, who underwent surgery, had a group of complications during the postoperative period. The international literature associates this disease with the presence of hemoglobin S, which does not coincide with the case of our patient, despite not being the study of choice. His history could have contributed to the occurrence of this complication. Those that appeared in the postoperative period did agree with those commented by other authors.

Conclusions:

Splenic infarction due to exposure to altitude is a complication that must be taken into account when a patient has abdominal pain. Immediacy in behavior is essential to avoid more serious complications.

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