Spleen Flashcards
The spleen is part of which system?
Reticuloendothelial system
The main function of the spleen is to
filter peripheral blood
(peripheral = limbs)
-red pulp filters the blood
The spleen plays an important role in
defense against disease
The spleen is often affected by
systemic disease processes
The spleen lies in the
left hypochondrium
The lower pole extends forward as far as the
midaxillary line
The spleen is a ____peritoneal organ
intra
splenorenal ligament
Spleen to the stomach & L. kidney
contact w/ the posterior peritoneal wall
In contact with the _____ peritoneal wall
posterior
Ligaments of the spleen
- gastrosplenic
- splenorenal
- splenocolic
- splenophrenic
Reticuloendothelial system comprises of what organs and structures?
kidney, spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow, connective tissue and blood
The spleen is covered by
protective capsule - Peritoneum
except for hilum
What are the tissue called inside of the lobules
pulp (white and red)
a portion of the splenic capsule is adherent to?
the fused dorsal mesentery, anterior to the upper pole of the L. Kidney (bare area)
Gastrosplenic ligament
spleen to stomach
2 layers of dorsal mesentery that separates the lesser sac posteriorly from the greater sac anteriorly
Splenocolic ligament
peritoneal ligament connecting the splenic capsule to transverse colon
component of the greater omentum
Splenophrenic ligament
spleen to diaphragm
fold of the peritoneum
Mass in left upper quadrant may displace the spleen:
inferiorly
Subclavian abscess, splenic cyst, left pleural effusion will displace the spleen:
caudal displacement
volume loss in left lung, left lobe pneumonia, paralysis of the left hemidiaphragm or large intraabdominal mass will displace the spleen:
cephalic displacement
wandering spleen
spleen that has migrated from its normal location in the LUQ
20 - 40 yr olds
Splenic agenesis
the complete absence of the spleen
polysplenia
multiple small accessory spleens rather than a single, full-sized, normal spleen
accessory spleen
small nodule of splenic tissue found apart from the main body of the spleen
result of the fusion of separate splenic masses
visceral heterotaxy
wrong spot
anomalous placement or transportation of viscera or parts
horizontal liver, malrotation of the gut, interruption of the inferior vena cava
bilateral right-sidedness
no spleen (asplenia)
two morphologic right lungs
midline location of liver
reversed position of AO and IVC
anomalous pulmonary venous return
horseshoe kidneys
bilateral left-sidedness
2 spleens (patients don’t survive)
two morphologic left lungs
left sided azygos
biliary atresia
no GB
gastrointestinal malrotation
cardiovascular abnormalitites
situs solitus
normal arrangement of asymmetric body parts
situs inversus
mirror image condition
situs ambiguous
anatomy that falls in between situs solitus and situs inversus
hematopoiesis
process of creating a wide variety of blood and bone marrow cells
(erythrocytes, platelets, granulocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes)
First few fetal months - spleen is hematopoietic
by the close of the 5th fetal month, function has moved permanently in to the bone marrow
The spleen lies between the
left hemidiaphragm and stomach
contact with the spleen posteriorly
diaphragm, left pleura, left lung, ribs
what lies inferior and medial to the spleen
left kidney
medial surface of the spleen
stomach
makes it hard to image the spleen bc stomach filled with gas and fluid
Displacement of the spleen: SUPERIORLY
mass in L. kidney
paralysis of diaphragm
Displacement of the spleen: ANTERIORLY
mass in retroperitoneal cavity
Displacement of the spleen: LATERALLY
stomach
pancreas
anything midline
upper pole of L. kidney
Displacement of the spleen: INFERIORLY
pleural left side
mass - diaphragm
subclavicalar abscess
Displacement of the spleen: POSTERIORLY
stomach
abdominal wall
Displacement of the spleen: MEDIALLY
rib issues
hematoma lateral to spleen
white pulp
part of the immune system
produces white blood cells
WBC make antibodies - fight infection
encapsulates bacteria
red pulp
pitting & culling
majority of spleen - 80%
made up of cords - macrophages
removal
phagocytosis
sequestration
storage
White pulp consists of
malpighian corpuscles - small nodular masses of lymphoid tissue attached to small arterial branches
laboratory data
hematocrit
bacteremia
leukocytosis
leukopenia
thrombocytopenia
hematocrit
percentage of RBC’s per volume of blood
abnormally low reading indicate internal bleeding or hemorrhage
leukocytosis
increase in WBC’s usually bc of infection
after surgery, malignancies, leukemia
thrombocytopenia
abnormal decrease in platelets
internal hemorrhage
bacteremia
presence of bacteria within the body
possible sepsis w/ typical symptoms of fever + chills
leukopenia
abnormal decrease in WB corpuscles
may be secondary to certain medications for bone marrow disorder
