ANATOMY- The Spleen Flashcards
What are the Functions of the SPLEEN?
1) Haematopoesis in an Infant
2) Removal of RBCs from circulation
3) Recycling Iron to the bone marrow
4) Immunologic response to antigens
What is the ARTERIAL supply of the SPLEEN?
Splenic Artery
Where does the Splenic artery come from?
Coeliac Trunk of the Abdominal Aorta
What is significant with regards to the shape of the splenic artery?
TORTUOUS ARTERY
What LIGAMENT contains the SPLENIC ARTERY and SPLENIC VEIN?
Splenorenal Ligament
What is the relationship of the Splenic Artery to the Splenic Vein?
The splenic vein is INFERIOR and POSTERIOR to the Splenic artery
SPLENIC VESSELS
What are the BRANCHES of the SPLENIC ARTERY?
1) Pancreatic Branches
2) Short Gastric Arteries
3) LEFT Gastroepiploic Artery
Where does the SPLENIC VEIN Drain?
Hepatic Portal Vein
What other vessel does the SPLENIC VEIN join to form the HEPATIC PORTAL VEIN?
Where does this take place?
SUPERIOR MESENTERIC VEIN
POSTERIOR TO THE NECK OF THE PANCREAS
What RIBS sit anterior to the Spleen?
9th, 10th, 11th Ribs
What is the GASTROSPLENIC LIGAMENT?
Layer of Peritoneum from the Greater Curvature of the Stomach to the Hilum of the Spleen
What are the CONTENTS of the Gastrosplenic Ligament?
Short Gastric Vessels
Left Gastro-epiploic vessels
Histologically what are the 2 main regions of the spleen?
RED PULP
WHITE PULP
Does RED or WHITE Pulp make up the Majority of Splenic Tissue?
RED PULP
Describe the Structure of RED PULP?
Consists of Splenic Sinusoids separated by Cords of Billroth
What cells are found in the CORDS OF BILLROTH?
Macrophages
What makes up the majority of the splenic sinusoids?
Blood flows slowly through the sinusoids and is exposed to Macrophages in the Cords of Billroth
Parenchyma
Venous Sinuses
Histology of the SPLEEN
What is found in the WHITE PULP?
T-Cells
B-Cells
What is an ACCESSORY Spleen?
Nodules of Splenic tissue located outside of the main body of the spleen.
Accessory spleens may enlarge following a splenectomy
Which organisms a patients most at risk of developing infections following SPLENECTOMY?
ENCAPSULATED BACTERIA
1) Haemophilus Influenza
2) Strep Pneumonia
3) Neisseria Meningitidis
What are changes in blood results in patients who have had a splenectomy?
Reactive THROMBOCYTOSIS
LEUKOCYTOSIS
Howell- Jolly Bodies
What are Howell- Jolly Bodies?
Remnants of RBC Nucleus which are removed by the spleen
HOWELL- JOLLY BODIES
What are Pappenheimer Bodies?
Granules of Iron found within RBCs
They are found in patients with:
-Sickle cell anaemia
-Lead Poisoning
-Haemolytic Anaemia
-Myleodysplastic Syndrome
