What is the best treatment for spleen?
What causes spleen problems?
What are symptoms of spleen problems?
What are 3 diseases that affect the spleen?
How to prevent a ruptured spleen?
Avoid contact sports — such as soccer, football and hockey — and limit other activities as recommended by your doctor. Modifying your activities can reduce the risk of a ruptured spleen. It's also important to wear a seat belt.
What to do after spleen removal?
After spleen removal, certain steps can help reduce your risk of infection, including: 1 A series of vaccinations both before and after the splenectomy. These include the pneumococcal (Pneumovax 23), meningococcal and haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccines, which protect against pneumonia, meningitis and infections of the blood, bones and joints. You'll also need the pneumococcal vaccine every five years after surgery. 2 Taking penicillin or other antibiotics after your operation and anytime you or your doctor suspects the possibility of an infection. 3 Calling your doctor at the first sign of a fever, because this may indicate an infection. 4 Avoiding travel to parts of the world where certain diseases, such as malaria, are common.
Why is a needle biopsy of the spleen rare?
A needle biopsy of the spleen is very rare because of the risk of bleeding. Occasionally, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove your spleen when there's no identifiable cause for the enlargement. After surgical removal, the spleen is examined under a microscope to check for possible lymphoma of the spleen.
How to tell if spleen is enlarged?
An enlarged spleen is usually detected during a physical exam. Your doctor can often feel it by gently examining your left upper abdomen. However, in some people — especially those who are slender — a healthy, normal-sized spleen can sometimes be felt during an exam.
What is the procedure to remove bone marrow?
A sample of solid bone marrow is sometimes removed in a procedure called a bone marrow biopsy. Or you may have a bone marrow aspiration, which removes the liquid portion of your marrow. In many cases, both procedures are performed at the same time (bone marrow exam). Both the liquid and solid bone marrow samples are usually taken from the pelvis. ...
What is the best way to check the size of your spleen?
Blood tests, such as a complete blood count to check the number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets in your system. Ultrasound or computerized tomography (CT) scan to help determine the size of your spleen and whether it's crowding other organs. Magnetic resonance imagining (MRI) to trace blood flow through the spleen. ...
What tests can be done to check for enlarged spleen?
Sometimes you may need more testing to find the cause of an enlarged spleen, including liver function tests and a bone marrow exam. These tests can provide more-detailed information about your blood cells than can blood drawn from a vein.
What diseases affect the spleen?
Blood disorders affecting the spleen like sickle cell disease. Aneurysm or distension and rupture of the artery to the spleen. Cysts of the spleen. Spread of cancer into the spleen. Spleen abscesses - usually from infection of blood clot inside the spleen, or following typhoid fever, or tuberculosis.
What causes spleen pain?
The common conditions that affects the spleen leading to the pain described, include: Rupture of the spleen during contact sports or road traffic accident or fall, or any other direct trauma. Presence of infections like glandular fever - infectious mononeucleosis, or malaria makes rupture more likely.
What is the pain under the left rib cage?
Spleen pain typically is: Felt as a pain under the left rib cage. It is continuous and may be worse with deep breathing. The pain tends to spread along the left upper abdomen to the left shoulder blade bone or scapula on the back and there may also be a shoulder tip pain. Let's take a look at common conditions that could lead to spleen pain.
What is the largest organ in the body?
The spleen is a crescent shaped organ like a segment of a tangerine or orange, located in the left upper abdomen, just under the left rib cage, between the tenth and eleventh ribs. It is the largest solid organ in the body that help defends us against infection and maintains our immune system, apart from the skin.
Why does my spleen hurt?
The spleen is not often an organ that gets caught up in a disease process. When it becomes infected, leading to enlargement, or gets damaged from direct impact, or indeed from poor blood supply to it , this could lead to pain in the spleen.
How many parts does the spleen have?
It has two parts - the white pulp, which contains mainly white blood cells, and the red pulp, which contains a network of veins filled with red blood cells. About 300mls of blood passes through the spleen every minute.
Where does pain in the left rib come from?
It is important to be sure that a pain under the left rib cage is coming from the spleen, rather than from other causes of pain in the spleen area. In other to do so, the following test may be necessary:
Why does my spleen grow?
When the spleen becomes overactive in removing and destroying damage d blood cells , this is known as hypersplenism. If the spleen remains enlarged or continues to get bigger, doctors need to figure out what’s causing it to grow. Here are some causes of an enlarged spleen:
What is the function of the spleen?
Your spleen is an organ that helps to defend your body against infection by producing bacteria-fighting white blood cells. It also maintains healthy red and white blood cell counts and filters abnormal blood cells from the bloodstream. It’s role isn’t as well known as other organs like your lungs or stomach, but it plays a vital role in keeping you healthy, which is why medical treatment is advised if a problem develops within your spleen.
What causes a spleen to be enlarged?
A number of conditions, including liver disease and some cancers, can cause your spleen to become enlarged. Your spleen is an organ located just below your left rib cage. Many conditions — including infections, liver disease and some cancers — can cause an enlarged spleen, also known as splenomegaly (spleh-no-MEG-uh-lee).
What are the complications of an enlarged spleen?
Potential complications of an enlarged spleen are: Infection. An enlarged spleen can reduce the number of healthy red blood cells, platelets and white cells in your bloodstream, leading to more frequent infections. Anemia and increased bleeding also are possible.
How does an enlarged spleen affect the body?
An enlarged spleen affects each of these vital functions. As your spleen grows larger, it filters normal red blood cells as well as abnormal ones , reducing the number of healthy cells in your bloodstream. It also traps too many platelets. Excess red blood cells and platelets eventually can clog your spleen and affect normal functioning.
What is the spleen?
Your spleen is an organ located just below your left rib cage. Many conditions — including infections, liver disease and some cancers — can cause an enlarged spleen, also known as splenomegaly (spleh-no-MEG-uh-lee). An enlarged spleen usually doesn't cause symptoms. It's often discovered during a routine physical exam.
What diseases affect the liver?
Parasitic infections, such as malaria. Cirrhosis and other diseases affecting the liver. Various types of hemolytic anemia — a condition characterized by early destruction of red blood cells. Blood cancers, such as leukemia and myeloproliferative neoplasms, and lymphomas, such as Hodgkin's disease.
Can a doctor feel a normal spleen?
Your doctor generally can't feel a normal-sized spleen in adults but can feel an enlarged spleen. Your doctor will likely request imaging and blood tests to help identify the cause. Treatment for an enlarged spleen focuses on the underlying condition that's causing it. Surgically removing an enlarged spleen isn't usually the first treatment, ...
Can an enlarged spleen cause pain?
An enlarged spleen may cause: No symptoms in some cases. Pain or fullness in the left upper abdomen that may spread to the left shoulder. Feeling full without eating or after eating only a small amount from the enlarged spleen pressing on your stomach. Anemia.
Why do doctors remove the spleen?
Doctors may remove the spleen due to injury or illnesses, including cancer. When this happens, someone’s life is not substantially changed, but they may become more susceptible to infection and need to take precautions.
What is the treatment for spleen cancer?
Common treatments for spleen cancer include: surgery called splenectomy that removes part of or the entire spleen. radiation therapy . chemotherapy. Historically, splenectomy was often the first treatment used, and studies have shown that most people. Trusted Source.
How to tell if you have spleen cancer?
Spleen cancer is very often due to lymphomas and non-Hodgkin lymphoma in particular, so it is helpful to be aware of signs of this disease. Signs include: swollen, but usually not painful lymph nodes in the armpits, groin, and sides of the neck. feeling exhausted. alternating chills and fever. bruising easily.
What is the spleen cancer?
What are the symptoms of cancer of the spleen? Spleen cancer typically develops when cancer in another part of the body, most often lymphomas and leukemia, spread to this fist-sized organ. The spleen is under the rib cage on the left side of the body.
What is SMZL indolent?
How far advanced the disease is. What other health problems the individual may have. SMZL is described by scientists as “indolent,” which means it usually grows slowly, and has a positive influence on overall outlook.
What organ stores blood?
The spleen is an organ that filters and stores blood. Cancer that first starts in the spleen is a rare occurrence. of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas. A form of cancer that does develop in the spleen is called splenic marginal zone lymphoma or SMZL, which is considered a kind of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Where is the spleen located?
The spleen is under the rib cage on the left side of the body. It is part of the lymphatic system and plays a part in helping the body fight off disease. This role means it can also be considered part of the immune system. It is also possible to live without a spleen, although it is a very important organ.
What are the two main problems that arise with the spleen?
Types of Spleen Problems. The two main problems that arises with the spleen is when it is: swollen and enlarged. A splenic rupture is usually acute meaning that it occurs suddenly often as a result of trauma to the left side of the body.
How does a ruptured spleen affect the body?
The spleen holds and filters large amounts of blood. A rupture in the spleen can affect the hemodynamics in the body. This means the circulation of blood is disturbed and the body will also take measures to reduce blood loss like constricting blood vessels. Collectively this may be experienced as lightheadedness or dizziness as blood flow to the brain changes as does the circulation in most parts of the body. These are non-specific symptoms that should be taken very seriously when it occurs after injury to the spleen area even if other symptoms are not evident.
What is a splenomegaly?
Splenomegaly is a sign of some underlying spleen or systemic problem and not a disease on its own. Other problems of the spleen may include:
What removes red blood cells from the bloodstream?
The spleen also removes red blood cells that are worn out from the circulation. Red blood cell destruction occurs in the spleen and is a normal process to replenish the bloodstream with new cells that are constantly produced by the bone marrow.
Why does my stomach feel full after eating?
This is further supported by the fact that the sensation increases after eating food as the stomach distends and only smaller amounts of food may be tolerated. Even moderate splenomegaly may present with fullness.
Why does leukopenia occur?
Conditions like leukopenia arise as the spleen traps the white blood cells among other mechanisms that impair immune defenses. Lower immunity means that the body is more prone to infections and this may be seen as repeated infections or persistent infections that do not easily resolve even with treatment.
What does it mean when your stomach feels full?
Fullness in Stomach. In mild acute spleen conditions and chronic problems, spleen pain and tenderness are often not present. However, many people with an enlarged spleen may complain of a sensation of fullness in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. Often it is described as bloating and thought to be associated with the stomach.
What causes a ruptured spleen?
Possible scenarios that may lead to a ruptured spleen include vehicle accidents, blunt force trauma, sharp force trauma, and violent contact sports.
Why does the spleen die?
Due to the lack of blood supply, a part of the splenic tissue may die. Splenic vein thrombosis: The blood flow out of the spleen may get blocked due to the presence of a blood clot within the splenic vein. Hypersplenism: Hypersplenism refers to an overactive spleen.
What is the term for an overactive spleen?
Hypersplenism: Hypersplenism refers to an overactive spleen. Cancer of the spleen: Cancers can sometimes arise from the spleen tissue. However, it is also possible for cancers located elsewhere in the body to metastasize to the spleen.
What is a spleen enlargement?
A swelling or enlargement of spleen is medically referred to as splenomegaly. Enlargement of the spleen is often noticed alongside an enlargement of the liver. Such cases are referred to as hepatosplenomegaly. Causes of swelling and enlargement of spleen include infections, abscesses, cysts, liver diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancers. It is important to note that splenomegaly is a sign of an underlying condition (either limited to the spleen or systemic) rather than a disease.
What is the pain in the left side of the abdomen?
Pain and tenderness in the abdomen. The pain caused by spleen problems is typically felt in the upper left abdominal region. However, pain in this region is often attributed to the stomach and the kidney that also lie next to the spleen. Application of pressure over the left abdominal region may reveal a tenderness in the area.
What is the largest lymph node in the body?
The spleen harbors a large number of immune cells. In fact, the spleen is sometimes referred to as the largest lymph node of the body. Problems with the spleen can adversely affect the functioning of the immune system. This lowers the immunity of the body, leading to recurrent or persistent infections.
Why is the spleen considered the graveyard of red blood cells?
Due to its role in the destruction of old red blood cells, the spleen is sometimes referred to as the graveyard of red blood cells. Problems in the spleen can sometimes cause an increase in the destruction of red blood cells that pass through the spleen.
Swollen spleen: symptoms, causes and treatment
Unlike other organs of our body that we tend to have more present, as for example is the case of liver or of the kidneys, the spleen It probably becomes one of the most "forgotten". In fact, we do not usually remember that it is there until there is a condition or health disorder that affects it.
What are the symptoms of an inflamed spleen?
Fundamentally there are three signs that can indicate the presence of an inflammation of the spleen, so in reality we are facing a disorder that is not so easy to diagnose.
The causes of spleen inflammation
There are several causes that can cause the spleen to become inflamed. The most common are the following:
Treatment of inflamed spleen
It is evident that the treatment of spleen inflammation It is related to the cause that caused the swelling, although a medical treatment must be established soon because an inflamed spleen can lead to a chronic infection. In fact, in the long term, if infection arises it can lead to the removal of the spleen.
Why do babies have cysts in their spleen?
The tendency to form cysts in the spleen in infants is observed with pathologies of pregnancy and prematurity of newborns; in adults - with increased destruction of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia), chronic viral infections, as well as with systemic lupus erythematosus, aplastic anemia, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases.
How big is a cyst in the spleen?
For the vast majority of cysts, the prognosis is good, but a spleen cyst larger than 5 cm in diameter has a high risk of rupture, which is fraught with life-threatening intra-abdominal bleeding.
Can a small cyst in the spleen be detected?
When a small spleen cyst is accidentally detected, symptoms are absent in most patients. But with larger sizes, the first signs can manifest themselves in the form of uncomfortable sensations on the left in the hypochondrium and the presence of a painless mass in the upper left abdomen (found in a third of patients on palpation).
