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Medically reviewed by Saurabh Sethi, M. Symptoms Causes When to seek help Treatment Outlook Overview Splenomegaly is a condition that occurs when your spleen becomes enlarged. This organ is found on the left side of your body, below your rib cage. The spleen is usually about the size of your fist, but when enlarged, it can become much bigger. What should I look out for? What can cause splenomegaly?
When to see a doctor. Relieving your splenomegaly. Going forward. Read this next. What Does the Spleen Do? Medically reviewed by Judith Marcin, M. If you become ill, get medical advice straight away. Healthcare professionals will mark your health records to show that you don't have a working spleen. However, always remember to tell any medical professionals that you see, including your dentist. People without a working spleen have an increased risk of developing a severe form of malaria.
If possible, avoid countries where malaria is present. If you can't, speak to your GP or local pharmacist about anti-malaria medicine before you travel. You should also use mosquito nets and insect repellent. Home Illnesses and conditions Stomach, liver and gastrointestinal tract Spleen problems and spleen removal.
Spleen problems and spleen removal. Some people are born without a spleen or need to have it removed because of disease or injury.
What does the spleen do? The spleen has a few important functions: It fights any invading germs in the blood the spleen contains infection-fighting white blood cells. It controls the level of blood cells. The spleen controls the level of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets small cells that form blood clots It screens the blood and removes any old or damaged red blood cells.
This can lead to: anaemia , from a reduced number of red blood cells an increased risk of infection, from a reduced number of white blood cells bleeding or bruising, from a reduced number of platelets Spleen problems Spleen pain Spleen pain is usually felt as a pain behind your left ribs.
A damaged or ruptured spleen The spleen can become damaged or may rupture burst after a forceful blow to the abdomen, car accident, sporting accident or fracture to the ribs. Rupture can happen straight away or it may happen weeks after the injury.
Signs of a ruptured spleen are: pain behind your left ribs and tenderness when you touch this area dizziness and a rapid heart rate a sign of low blood pressure caused by blood loss Sometimes, if you lie down and raise your legs, the pain can be felt at the tip of your left shoulder.
Enlarged spleen The spleen can become swollen after an infection or injury. An enlarged spleen doesn't always cause symptoms. Splenectomy having the spleen removed An operation to remove the spleen, known as a splenectomy, may be needed if the spleen is damaged, diseased or enlarged. If there's time, you'll be advised to have a series of immunisations before the operation.
Laparoscopy Most splenectomies are carried out using laparoscopy keyhole surgery. The procedure involves: Making several incisions in your abdomen tummy area. Guiding a laparoscope into your body through one of the incisions, so doctors can see what they're doing. Passing thin instruments into your abdomen through the other incisions, to remove your spleen. Gas will be pumped into your abdomen to make this easier.
Open surgery Open surgery, where one large incision is made, may be needed if the spleen is too large or too damaged to be removed via keyhole surgery. You'll need a general anaesthetic and may need to stay in hospital for a few days to recover. Afterwards It's normal to feel sore and be bruised after a splenectomy, but you'll be given pain relief medication.
You should be able to eat and drink as normal soon after the operation. Your doctor will run through these risks with you. Living without a spleen If your spleen needs to be removed, other organs such as the liver can take over many of the spleen's functions. Risk of infection Young children have a higher risk of serious infection than adults, but the risk is still small. This risk can be minimised by following simple precautions to prevent infection. If hypersplenism causes severe anemia, people may be tired and short of breath.
People may also have frequent infections as a result of too few white blood cells, and the tendency to bleed as a result of too few platelets. Doctors may suspect that the spleen is enlarged when people complain of fullness or pain in the upper left portion of the abdomen or back.
Usually, doctors can feel an enlarged spleen during a physical examination. An x-ray of the abdomen done for other reasons may also show that the spleen is enlarged. Ultrasonography Ultrasonography Ultrasonography uses high-frequency sound ultrasound waves to produce images of internal organs and other tissues. A device called a transducer converts electrical current into sound waves In modern scanners, the x-ray detector usually Magnetic resonance imaging Magnetic Resonance Imaging MRI In magnetic resonance imaging MRI , a strong magnetic field and very high frequency radio waves are used to produce highly detailed images.
MRI does not use x-rays and is usually very safe Blood tests show decreased numbers of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. When blood cells are examined under a microscope, their shape and size may provide clues to the cause of the spleen enlargement. An examination of bone marrow Bone Marrow Examination Red blood cells, most white blood cells, and platelets are produced in the bone marrow, the soft fatty tissue inside bone cavities.
Sometimes a sample of bone marrow must be examined to determine White blood cells develop from stem cells in the bone marrow. Sometimes the development goes awry Lymphomas are cancers of a specific type of white blood cells known as lymphocytes. Blood protein measurement can determine whether other conditions are present that can cause the spleen to enlarge, such as amyloidosis Amyloidosis Amyloidosis is a rare disease in which abnormally folded proteins form amyloid fibrils that accumulate in various tissues and organs, sometimes leading to organ dysfunction, organ failure, and Sarcoidosis usually develops in people aged 20 to 40, most often people Malaria causes fever, chills, sweating, a general feeling of illness malaise , and sometimes diarrhea Leishmaniasis includes several disorders that affect the skin, the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, or throat or internal organs Brucellosis is acquired mainly by having contact It usually affects the lungs.
Tuberculosis is spread mainly when people breathe air Liver tests Liver Blood Tests Liver tests are blood tests that represent a noninvasive way to screen for the presence of liver disease for example, hepatitis in donated blood and to measure the severity and progress of Doctors cannot easily remove a sample of the spleen for examination because inserting a needle or cutting spleen tissue may cause uncontrollable bleeding.
If an enlarged spleen is removed during surgery to diagnose or treat certain diseases, the spleen is sent to a laboratory, where the cause of enlargement can usually be determined. When possible, doctors treat the underlying disorder that caused the enlarged spleen. People with an enlarged spleen should avoid contact sports and weight-lifting because an enlarged spleen is more likely to tear, causing uncontrollable bleeding.
People with an enlarged spleen need to avoid contact sports and weight-lifting because the spleen is at risk of tearing, causing uncontrollable bleeding. The spleen may need to be surgically removed if hypersplenism causes severe problems.
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