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SPLENOMEGALY

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SPLENOMEGALY

Splenomegaly is a condition that occurs when the spleen is enlarged

  • The spleen is an organ that lies below the left rib cage next to the stomach on the left side of the abdomen.
  • It is an organ that performs some very critical functions in the human body system.
  • The spleen is a major blood filter responsible for removing old damaged blood cells, as well as storing red blood cells and platelet that helps the blood to clot.
  • The spleen also helps the body in preventing infections by producing white blood cells and acts as a defense against disease-causing organisms.
  • An enlarged spleen affects each of these critical functions.
  • As the spleen grows bigger, it filters both normal and abnormal red blood cells, minimizing the number of healthy blood cells left in the bloodstream leading to more frequent infections.
  • When the spleen is enlarged, there is a great possibility of it rupturing. A ruptured spleen is life-threatening as it can cause bleeding into the abdominal cavity.

CAUSES

A spleen enlargement or splenomegaly is usually caused by infections and diseases including

  • A metabolic disorder such as Gaucher’s disease
  • Benign and malignant tumors such as leukemia, melanoma, myeloproliferative disease
  • Viral infections such as cytomegalovirus
  • Acute and chronic bacterial infections such as endocarditis, malaria, syphilis
  • Liver diseases such as cirrhosis
  • Hemolytic anemia
  • Trauma for example from a car accident
  • Drug reactions
  • An autoimmune disorder such as rheumatoid arthritis
  • Diseases that weaken the immune system such as AIDS,
  • Marrow damage by radiation, toxins

SYMPTOMS

Symptoms may include:

  • Abdominal pain that may radiate to the back or shoulder blade
  • Chest pain
  • Feeling full without eating or after taking a small amount of food
  • Fatigue
  • Easy bleeding
  • Frequent infections
  • Anemia
  • In some cases, there is an absence of symptoms

Risk factors may include:

  • Children and young adults with infections
  • Those with a metabolic disorder affecting the liver and spleen
  • Travelers to areas where malaria is common

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Either found while the doctor is looking for an enlarged spleen because of a previous diagnosis or incidentally when examining a patient, an enlarged spleen is most often found on a physical examination.

The doctor can confirm diagnosis with one or more of these tests:

  • Blood tests to check the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the bloodstream. Sometimes, liver function test and bone marrow test can provide more detailed information about the blood cells.
  • CT scan or an ultrasound to determine the size of the spleen
  • MRI to trace blood flow through the spleen
TREATMENT

Treatment of splenomegaly focuses on treating the underlying medical problem.

If the cause of an enlarged spleen is a bacterial infection, treatment will include antibiotics

If the enlargement causes serious complications or the cause can’t be treated or identified, splenectomy may be suggested. Splenectomy is the surgical removal of the spleen, this may offer the best hope of recovery in critical cases.

Removing the spleen may make you more vulnerable to serious or even life-threatening infection so careful considerations should be made. However, certain steps can help in minimizing your risk of being easily infected which your d