The Spleen Flashcards
The spleen’s main function is to?
Filter peripheral blood
The spleen is active in blood formation (_________) during the intial part of fetal life.
Hematopoiesis
Where does the spleen lie?
In the left hypochondrium - with its axis along the shaft of the 10th rib.
The spleen is a _______ _______ which is covered entirely with _________ except for a small area at it’s __________, where the _______ __________ and ________ _______ are located.
peritoneal organ, peritoneum, hilum, vascular structures, lymph nodes
Variable size and shape ~
“Orange segment,” tetrahedral or triangular
The spleen’s normal measurements for an average adult are ______?
12 cm long, 7 cm wide,
and 3 - 4 cm thick
_______ ________ covers the spleen with peritoneum.
Protective capsule
The “_______ ______” of the spleen can be helpful in distinguising intraperitoneal from ______ _______ _______.
“bare area”
pleural fluid collections
The splenorenal ligament is?
Peritoneal ligament that attatches the spleen to the stomach and the kidneys.
The gastrosplenic ligament is?
Composed of two layers of the dorsal mesentery that seperate the lesser sac posteriorly from the greater sac
The gastrosplenic ligament is composed of ____ layers or the _____ _______ that seperate the _____ ____ posteriorly from the _____ ____ anteriorly
two,
dorsal mesentery,
lesser sac,
greater sac
The splenorenal ligament is a _____ ligament that attatches the _______ to the _______ and the _______.
peritoneal,
spleen,
stomach,
kidney
The spleenic artery enters the _______ _______ and immediately branches into ____ smaller arteries to supply the spleen with ________ _______ to profuse the splenic ________.
splenic hilum,
six,
oxygenated blood,
parenchyma
The spleenic artery trravels along the ________ border of the _______.
superior,
pancreas
The splenic vein leaves the ______ in a ________ direction to join the ________ ________ _______.
hilum,
horizontal,
superior mesenteric vein
The splenic vein travels along the ________ border of the _________.
posterior
pancreas
_______ vessels emerge from the ________ _______, pass through other _______ ______ along the course of the _______ _______, and drain into the _______ ________.
Lymph, splenic hilum, lymph nodes, splenic artery, celiac nodes
The spleen is the _______ _______ organ.
largest lymphoid
The spleen filters ______ cells, _______ and ______ ______.
damaged,
microorganisms,
particulate matter
_______ to the spleen accompany the splenic artery and are derived from the _______ ______.
Nerves,
celiac plexus
The left kidney and the adrenal gland are ______ and ______to the spleen.
inferior,
medial
What is above and also behind the spleen?
diaphragm, left pleuria, left lung and the 8th - 11th ribs
What is medial and anterior to the splenic hilum?
fundus of the stomach, the lesser sac, and the pancreatic tail
The left kidney and the adrenal gland are ______ and _______ to the spleen.
inferior, medial
Which ligaments hold the spleen in place?
3 ligaments
lienorenal, gastrosplenic, and phrenocolic ligaments
If there is a mass in the upper left quadrant, how may it affect the spleen?
It may be displaced inferiorly.
______ displacement may be secondary to a ______ ______, ______ ______, or a _____ ______ ______. (towards the feet)
Caudal, (feet)
subclavian abscess,
splenic cyst,
left pleural effusion
_____ displacement may result from volume loss in the _____ ______, left lobe ______, paralysis of the left__________, or a large ___________ mass. (towards the head)
Cephalic, (head) left lung, pneumonia, hemidiaphragm, intraabdominal
What is a spleen which has migrated from its normal location in the left upper quadrant?
“Wandering spleen”
A “wandering spleen” may present what symptoms?
abdominal or pelvic mass, intermittent pain, and volvulus* (splenic torsion)
Congenital anomalies include:
asplenia or splenic agensis (no spleen),
polysplenia,
visceral heterotaxy
Polysplenia is associated with ______ left upper quadrant _______, absent _______ and ______ defects.
multiple,
spleens,
gallbladder,
cardiac
Visceral heterotaxy is the _________ placement or transportation of ________ or parts. Spectrum of ______ disorders. Due to early _______ disturbances that occur prior to the ____ week of gestation.
anomalous,
viscera,
embryologic,
6th
Situs solitus is ______ arrangement of asymmetric body parts.
Normal
Situs invertsus is the ______ image or situs solitus.
mirror (flipped)
Situs ambiguous is the ________ of the development of normal asymmetric arrangement of the abdominal _______ and _____.
disruption,
organs,
vessels
Patients with asplenia (no spleen) may have _______ _______ sidedness.
bilateral right
Patients with polysplenia have _________ ______ sidedness.
bilateral left
polysplenia - multiple spleens
An accessory spleen (splenunculus) is usually found where?
Near the hilum or the inferior border of the spleen. (additional spleens = accessory spleens)
The spleen is ___ ______ to life.
not necessary
The spleen filters _______ materials from the _____, and forms _______.
foriegn,
blood,
antibodies
The spleen is a ____ organ with ______ properties that allow it to distend as blood fills the ______ sinuses. These characteristics are related to the spleen’s function as a ______ ______
soft,
elastic,
venous,
blood reservoir
In the lobules of the spleen, there are tissues which are called _____
pulp
________ pulp consists of ______ nodules, which are similar to those found in ______ nodes and contain ______ numbers of _______; the _________ of the spleen help defend the body against ________.
White, splenic, lymph, large, lymphocytes lymphocytes, infections
______ pulp contains relatively _______ numbers of _____ ______ cells.
Red,
large,
red blood
In ______, the major portion of the hemoglobin breakdown occurs in the spleen
splenomegaly
Phagocytosis of ______ and the breakdown of ______ occur throughout the entire reticuloendothelial system, however roughly _____ _____ the catabolic activity is localized in the normal _______.
erythrocytes, (red blood cells)
hemoglobin,
one half
spleen
in anomalies such as the hemolytic anemias, the splenic phagocytes become ______ with ______ when erythrocyte destruction is _______.
engorged,
hemosiderin,
accelerated
______ is the process of removing the ______ from the red blood cells.
Pitting,
nuclei
______ is the process by which the spleen removes ________ _____ ______ cells.
Culling,
abnormal red blood
________ indicates the percentage of red blood cells per volume of blood.
Hematocrit
Abnormally low readings of _____ indicate hemorrhage or internal bleeding.
hematocrit
______ indicates the presence of bacteria within the body.
Bacteremia
The term ______ indicates ________ in the bloodstream
sepsis,
bacteria
Leukocytosis - the increase in the number of ______ cells present in the blood is usually a typical finding in _______.
white,
infection
Leukopenia is an abnormal ______ in _____ blood corpuscles.
decrease,
white
Thrombocytopenia is the abnormal ________ in ______.
decrease,
platelets
The splenic parenchyma should have a fine uniform __________ ____ to ____ level echo pattern, as is seen in the ______ parenchyma.
homogeneous,
mid,
low,
liver
The spleen has ____ components joined at the hilum: _______ component and an _______ component.
2,
superomedial,
inferolateral
Formula for splenic length in children:
do not have to know for test
5.7 + (0.31 x age in years)
_________ is diagnosed, when the spleen measures more than ___ cm in the adult patient or more than the normal length in a child.
Splenomegaly,
13
Patient position and technique
right lateral decubitus (right side down, left side up)
