- The rest (~25%) of the spleen is known as the white pulp and functions like a large lymph node being the largest secondary lymphoid organ in the body. (wikipedia.org)
- Apart from regular lymphatic function the white pulp contains splenic macrophages which are particularly good at destroying (phagocytosis) encapsulated bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae. (wikipedia.org)
- The white pulp of the spleen contains germinal centers, with lymphocytes, plasma cells, and macrophages that help coordinate the immune response and play roles in both innate and adaptive immunity. (medscape.com)
- It is removed under the following circumstances: When it becomes very large such that it becomes destructive to platelets/red blood cells or rupture is imminent For diagnosing certain lymphomas Certain cases of splenic abscess Certain cases of wandering spleen Splenic vein thrombosis with bleeding Gastric varices When platelets are destroyed in the spleen as a result of an auto-immune condition, such as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. (wikipedia.org)
- A 69-year-old woman, a long-term survivor of subtotal stomach-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy with the splenic vein resection for pancreatic cancer, visited our hospital with a chief complaint of bloody stools. (bvsalud.org)
- BACKGROUND: Left-sided portal hypertension including gastric venous congestion may be caused by ligating the splenic vein during pancreaticoduodenectomy with portal vein resection or total pancreatectomy. (bvsalud.org)
- The usefulness of reconstruction with the splenic vein has been reported in such cases. (bvsalud.org)
- However, depending on the site of the tumor and other factors, it may be impossible to leave sufficient length of the splenic vein, making anastomosis difficult. (bvsalud.org)
- The root of the splenic vein was infiltrated by the tumor, and we resected this vein at the confluence of the portal vein. (bvsalud.org)
- Closure of the portal vein was performed without reconstruction of the splenic vein. (bvsalud.org)
- The splenic vein-superior mesenteric vein confluence was infiltrated by the tumor, and we resected the portal vein, including the confluence. (bvsalud.org)
- End-to-end anastomosis was performed without reconstruction of the splenic vein. (bvsalud.org)
- When the spleen bleeds following physical trauma Following spontaneous rupture For long-term treatment of congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP) if severe hemolytic anemia develops The spread of gastric cancer to splenic tissue When using the splenic artery for kidney revascularisation in renovascular hypertension. (wikipedia.org)
- Intraoperative ligation of the splenic artery at the superior margin of the pancreas in the lesser sac is another alternative to minimize blood loss if the spleen is enlarged. (medscape.com)
- Thus the spleen serves both to "tag bacteria for destruction" and plays a role in the actual destruction of the bacteria through phagocytosis. (medscape.com)
- The second part consists of lymphoid organs and tissues including the bone marrow, lymph nodes, spleen, and thymus. (pearson.com)
- Although considered a nonvital organ, and once thought to serve no practical purpose, the spleen is now recognized as an important secondary lymphoid organ in immune defense and as a filter for the bloodstream. (medscape.com)
- After birth, the spleen has several important functions as a secondary lymphoid organ and as a reservoir and filter for cells and platelets. (medscape.com)
- In cases where the spleen is enlarged due to illness (mononucleosis), trivial activities, such as leaning over a counter or straining while defecating, can cause a rupture. (wikipedia.org)
- Loss of splenic tissue due to surgical removal may occur later in life as a result of trauma that causes rupture of the organ. (medscape.com)
- The spleen is an important organ in regard to immunological function due to its ability to efficiently destroy encapsulated bacteria. (wikipedia.org)
- All patients with congenital or acquired asplenia or splenic dysfunction are at significant risk of fulminant bacteremia, especially from encapsulated bacteria. (medscape.com)
- Absent or defective splenic function is associated with a high risk of fulminant bacterial infections, especially with encapsulated bacteria. (medscape.com)
- Absence of splenic tissue can be total (congenital asplenia) or partial (hypoplastic) from birth. (medscape.com)
- Worldwide, most patients with asplenia or hyposplenia have an underlying hemoglobinopathy such as sickle cell disease, which causes splenic dysfunction. (medscape.com)
- Autosplenectomy is the process where the spleen loses its function due to multiple and repeated infarctive episodes, as in sickle hemoglobinopathies. (medscape.com)
- A splenectomy is the surgical procedure that partially or completely removes the spleen. (wikipedia.org)
- During surgical resection of a pancreatic cancer The classical cause of traumatic damage to the spleen is a blow to the abdomen during a sporting event. (wikipedia.org)
- In fact, overall, most splenic infarcts do not require surgical intervention. (medscape.com)
- The spleen is also involved in the functional maturation of antibodies and is a significant reservoir for both B and T lymphocytes. (medscape.com)
- however, these T-cell changes may reflect the loss of the spleen as a reservoir rather than a direct T-cell abnormality. (medscape.com)
- Laparoscopy is the preferred procedure in cases where the spleen is not too large and when the procedure is elective. (wikipedia.org)
- Removal of the spleen may be undertaken as a result of being involved in a neoplastic processor as a staging procedure in some cancers. (medscape.com)
- In cases of torsion of a wandering spleen, splenopexy with splenic salvage is the procedure of choice in the well-perfused, noninfarcted spleen. (medscape.com)
- The spleen is an organ located in the abdomen next to the stomach. (wikipedia.org)
- The ligaments holding the spleen in place, gastrosplenic ligament, splenorenal ligament and splenocolic ligament, are dissected and the organ is removed. (wikipedia.org)
- Techniques include suturing the spleen to the surrounding structures, wrapping the organ in omentum or mesh prior to suture fixation, or placing it in a surgically created retroperitoneal pouch. (medscape.com)
- Therefore, removal of the spleen runs the risk of overwhelming post-splenectomy infection, a medical emergency and rapidly fatal disease caused by the inability of the body's immune system to properly fight infection following splenectomy or asplenia. (wikipedia.org)
- Parasitemia levels can reach up to 85% in patients without spleens, compared to 1-10% in individuals with spleens and effective immune systems. (wikipedia.org)
- Immune thrombocytopenia happens when the immune system attacks platelets. (akronchildrens.org)
- Because of the (admittedly small) risk of fatal OPSS, splenic preservation is preferable whenever possible. (medscape.com)
- Whereas a unilocular abscess can be managed successfully in select cases with percutaneous catheter drainage, some authors advocate splenectomy in all cases of splenic infarct and abscess, questioning the utility of preserving the residual, partially functioning spleen. (medscape.com)
- The most important clinical indication for the evaluation of splenic function is the presence of complex congenital heart disease. (medscape.com)
- To describe how the structures of the lymph nodes and spleen reflect their functions of filtering lymph and blood. (pearson.com)
- It also functions as a storage site for iron, red blood cells and platelets. (wikipedia.org)
- The spleen is also known to function as a site for the development of new red blood cells from their hematopoietic stem cell precursors, and particularly in situations in which the bone marrow, the normal site for this process, has been compromised by a disorder such as leukemia. (wikipedia.org)
- this purposely infarcts the remaining spleen and minimizes blood loss, which otherwise can be quite profuse in these difficult dissections. (medscape.com)
- The spleen participates in the destruction of all 3 blood elements (erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets) when they reach senescence. (medscape.com)
- The spleen plays an important role in granulocyte homeostasis also by influencing the elimination of senescent cells and regulatory effects on granulocyte renewal in the bone marrow. (medscape.com)
- The red pulp of the spleen is designed as an efficient filtering system that serves as an important scavenger. (medscape.com)
- Splenic abscess can result from septic emboli or superinfection of a prior infarct. (medscape.com)
- In some cases, one or more accessory spleens are discovered and also removed during surgery. (wikipedia.org)
- However, with the trend of improving the prognosis for patients with pancreatic cancer, we should occasionally pay attention to the development of ectopic varices including colonic varices in patients who have undergone pancreatoduodenectomy with superior mesenteric and splenic veins resection. (bvsalud.org)
- In humans, the spleen is the site for early hematopoietic development, particularly the development of erythrocytes during the first 4 months' gestation. (medscape.com)
- The presence of Howell Jolly bodies in the peripheral smear of an individual older than 7 days should suggest splenic dysfunction. (medscape.com)
- The spleen is enlarged in a variety of conditions such as malaria, mononucleosis and most commonly in cancers of the lymphatics, such as lymphomas or leukemia. (wikipedia.org)
- The spleen may be removed in other conditions (eg, hemoglobinopathies) to improve the red cell life expectancy. (medscape.com)