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Spleen, Ruptured
Medical Questions » Spleen, Ruptured
| Name: Spleen, Ruptured |
| Also known as: |
| The spleen weighs about lOOg, is roughly the same size as your fist, is shaped rather like an inverted pudding bowl, and is tucked under the last couple of ribs on your left side. Its functions are to remove damaged cells from the blood, store vital elements such as iron, store antibodies that the body develops after an infection, produce new white blood cells that fight off infection, and produce red blood cells to transport oxygen. |
Causes of Spleen, Ruptured
In a car or other accident, the chest may be squashed, and the spleen may be pierced by a rib or ruptured by the pressure. |
Symptoms of Spleen, Ruptured
Pain in the lower left chest and upper left abdomen, weakness, shortness of breath and collapse. |
Tests for Spleen, Ruptured
Ultrasound scan of the spleen may show damage. Free blood may be found in the abdominal cavity when a needle is pushed through the muscle wall. |
Treatment for Spleen, Ruptured
Repairing the spleen surgically is difficult as it is too friable, and as a result it is often necessary to remove it it in order to stop bleeding.
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Complications of Spleen, Ruptured of its treatment
Blood loss into the abdomen can be life-threatening. |
Likely Outcome of Spleen, Ruptured
Removal of the spleen is lifesaving and has remarkably little effect on an adult, as bone marrow can take over most of its functions. In babies the spleen is essential for the early formation of blood cells, and it is removed from children only in extreme circumstances. |
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