what is the spleen attached to

See more

What holds the spleen in place?

The spleen is surrounded by peritoneum and is suspended by multiple ligaments, as follows: The gastrosplenic ligament extends from the hilum of the spleen to the greater curvature of the stomach; it contains short gastric vessels and associated lymphatics and sympathetic nerves.

What organ takes over after spleen removal?

Living without a spleen. If your spleen needs to be removed, other organs such as the liver can take over many of the spleen's functions. This means you will still be able to cope with most infections. However, there is a small risk that a serious infection may develop quickly.

What organ is next to the spleen?

Pancreas and Spleen. The pancreas is a wing-shaped gland that extends from the duodenum (the upper portion of the small intestine) to the spleen. It serves both digestive and endocrine functions.

What connects the stomach to the spleen?

Key Message: Splenogastric arteries and gastrosplenic veins form a portal system which directly connects the spleen and stomach parenchyma.

What are 3 diseases that affect the spleen?

Blood cancers, such as leukemia and myeloproliferative neoplasms, and lymphomas, such as Hodgkin's disease. Metabolic disorders, such as Gaucher disease and Niemann-Pick disease. Pressure on the veins in the spleen or liver or a blood clot in these veins. Autoimmune conditions, such as lupus or sarcoidosis.

What can cause pain near spleen?

Some common causes of spleen pain include infections such as mono or pneumonia, autoimmune conditions such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, metabolic disorders such as diabetes, or liver diseases such as hepatitis.

What hurts on left side under ribs?

Pain located under the left rib cage is typically associated with infection or inflammation in the stomach or injury to any other organs located on the left side of the body (like the heart, spleen, pancreas, lung or left kidney).

Why is spleen most commonly injured?

In the United States, most spleen trauma is due to blunt injury, usually from motor vehicle accidents. Less frequently, spleen trauma is penetrating via a variety of mechanisms, either intentional or accidental. In penetrating trauma, the wound can be very small and still cause significant spleen trauma.

Can a person live without a spleen?

You can be active without a spleen, but you're at increased risk of becoming sick or getting serious infections. This risk is highest shortly after surgery. People without a spleen may also have a harder time recovering from an illness or injury.

Do spleen problems cause gas?

It's situated next to your spleen. While gas is normal, splenic flexure syndrome can cause excessive gas and discomfort. This condition, considered a chronic digestive disorder, is thought to be a sub-type of irritable bowel syndrome.

What body systems are most affected by the removal of the spleen?

Undergoing a spleen removal leaves you with a compromised, or weakened, immune system. Since infections can be more dangerous without a spleen, you may need yearly vaccines and prophylactic antibiotics. Prophylactic antibiotics are used to prevent a bacterial infection from occurring.

What happens to the body when the spleen is removed?

Life without a spleen After splenectomy, other organs in your body take over most of the functions previously performed by your spleen. You can be active without a spleen, but you're at increased risk of becoming sick or getting serious infections. This risk is highest shortly after surgery.

What are the long term effects of having your spleen removed?

If your spleen has to be taken out, you may have an increased risk of severe infection. The degree of risk depends on your age and if you have other diseases. Although your risk of infection is highest in the first two years after splenectomy, it stays high for the rest of your life.

What are the side effects of having your spleen removed?

Splenectomy ComplicationsBlood clot in the vein that carries blood to the liver.Hernia at the incision site.Infection at the incision site.Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)Lung collapse.Injury to the pancreas, stomach, and colon.

What is the function of the spleen?

The spleen also stores red blood cells, platelets, and infection-fighting white blood cells. The spleen plays an important role in your immune system response. When it detects bacteria, viruses, or other germs in your blood, it produces white blood cells, called lymphocytes, to fight off these infections.

Why is the spleen important?

Though your spleen isn’t a large organ, it plays many important roles in your body. It helps remove old and damaged blood cells, and it produces infection-fighting cells to protect your health. The spleen also makes certain substances that have an important role in inflammation and healing.

What causes a spleen to be enlarged?

Other conditions that cause an enlarged spleen include: bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections such as syphilis, tuberculosis, endo carditis, mononucleosis (mono), and malaria. blood cancers such as Hodgkin’s disease, leukemia, and lymphoma. liver diseases like cirrhosis. hemolytic anemia.

How does the spleen affect blood?

It does this by breaking down and removing cells that are abnormal, old, or damaged. The spleen also stores red blood cells, platelets, and infection-fighting white blood cells.

What is the lymphatic system?

The lymphatic system helps remove cellular waste, maintain fluid balance, and make and activate infection-fighting white blood cells for the immune system. It’s also responsible for making substances that play an important role in inflammation and healing. Trusted Source. .

Why can't my spleen filter blood?

metabolic disorders like Gaucher’s disease and Niemann-Pick disease. When your spleen enlarges, it can’t filter your blood as efficiently as it once did. It may accidentally filter out normal red blood cells and platelets, leaving fewer healthy blood cells in your body.

Why does the spleen enlarge?

Many different conditions can cause the spleen to enlarge, especially diseases that cause blood cells to break down too quickly. An excess destruction of blood cells, for example, can overwork the spleen, and cause it to enlarge.

What is the spleen?

The spleen is a small organ inside your left rib cage, just above the stomach. It’s part of the lymphatic system (which is part of the immune system). The spleen stores and filters blood and makes white blood cells that protect you from infection. Many diseases and conditions can affect how the spleen works. A ruptured (torn) spleen can be fatal.

What are the two parts of the spleen?

There are two parts of the spleen. They each do different jobs. The types of tissue in the spleen are: White pulp: As part of the immune system, the white pulp produces white blood cells. These blood cells make antibodies. Antibodies fight infection. Red pulp: The red pulp acts like a filter.

Why does my spleen feel so big?

Splenomegaly is a dangerous condition because the spleen can rupture (tear) or bleed.

Why is splenomegaly dangerous?

Splenomegaly is a dangerous condition because the spleen can rupture (tear) or bleed. The spleen can become enlarged from: Blood cancers, such as leukemia and Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and cancer in other parts of the body that metastasize (spread) to the spleen. Blood clots in the spleen or the liver.

Why do they remove the spleen?

Sometimes, healthcare providers perform surgery to remove the spleen (splenectomy) because it’s damaged or diseased. Without the spleen, the liver takes over many of the spleen’s duties. Splenectomy is also a treatment for different types of thrombocytopenia, including immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).

What happens when your spleen doesn't work?

Protein disorders like amyloidosis. Functional asplenia: This condition happens when your spleen doesn’t work as it should. It may overreact (hypersplenism) and destroy healthy red blood cells. Destroying too many blood cells can increase the risk of infection and lead to bruising and bleeding.

Why is the spleen important?

Your spleen is a small but important organ. It works hard to fight infection, remove old or damaged blood cells and keep fluids moving through your body. Many disorders, infections, injuries and diseases can cause problems in the spleen.

What is the spleen?

The spleen is a spongy oval-shaped organ and is roughly the size of a person’s fist. It is located in the left upper quadrant (hypochondrium) of the abdomen, just under the left ribcage. The spleen has many important functions in the body involving the storage of blood and immune activity but it is not a vital organ. It can be removed surgically (splenectomy) without significantly impairing the quality of life although a person may be more prone to infections.

What organs surround the spleen?

The following organs and structures surround the spleen on the different sides. Anteriorly (front) lies the stomach. Posteriorly (back) and laterally (outer side) lies the left diaphragm, 9th to 11th ribs and the pleura of the lungs. Medially (inner side) lies the left kidney. Inferiorly (bottom) lies the colon, particularly the left colic flexure.

How many branches does the splenic artery have?

Just before it enters the spleen proper, the splenic artery divides into five or more branches. The splenic vein arises from several tributaries within the spleen and is joined by the inferior mesenteric vein initially and later with the superior mesenteric vein to form the hepatic portal vein.

What is the protective feature of the ribs?

It sits against the diaphragm and the posterior abdominal wall in close relation to the ribs. Its location is helpful in protecting this very fragile organ but at the same time, the protective feature of the ribs can be to detriment of the spleen. In the event of a fractured rib, the spleen can be pierced by the rib and rupture.

How much does the spleen expand?

The spleen can expand up to 3 times its size and this can significantly increase its weight. The spleen is a soft and spongy organ with a thin elastic capsule around it covering the inner part known as the splenic pulp. Parts of the inner capsule carry the blood vessels and extends into the pulp. These extensions of the inner capsule is known as ...

What is the part of the spleen that is made up of blood vessels?

These extensions of the inner capsule is known as the trabechulae. The inner parts of the spleen is the parenchymal tissue known as the pulp, which is primarily made up of the red pulp and and smaller nodules known as the white pulp.

Where does lymphatic fluid go?

Lymphatic fluid from the spleen empty into the lymph nodes at the splenic hilum. The lymph then passes through the pancreaticosplenic lymph nodes and then empties into the celiac nodes. The splenic nerve supply is derived from the celiac plexus (refer to Stomach Nerves ).

Where is the spleen located?

The spleen is an organ in the upper far left part of the abdomen, to the left of the stomach. The spleen varies in size and shape between people, but it’s commonly fist-shaped, purple, and about 4 inches long. Because the spleen is protected by the rib cage, you can’t easily feel it unless it’s abnormally enlarged.

How is the spleen removed?

The dye moves throughout the body and is collected in both of these organs. Spleen Treatments. Splenectomy: The spleen is removed by surgery, either through laparoscopy (multiple small incisions) or laparotomy (one large incision).

What is the term for an enlarged spleen that stores excessive numbers of platelets?

Thrombocytopenia( low platelet count): An enlarged spleen sometimes stores excessive numbers of the body’s platelets. Splenomegaly can result in abnormally few platelets circulating in the bloodstream where they belong.

What is the name of the condition where the spleen stores excessive platelets?

Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count): An enlarged spleen sometimes stores excessive numbers of the body’s platelets. Splenomegaly can result in abnormally few platelets circulating in the bloodstream where they belong. Accessory spleen: About 10% of people have a small extra spleen.

What organs are dyed in?

Liver and spleen scan:  A small amount of radioactive dye is injected into the arm.   The dye moves throughout the body and is collected in both of these organs.

What causes a spleen to be enlarged?

Enlarged Spleen (Splenomegaly): An enlarged spleen, usually caused by viral mononucleosis (“mono”), liver disease, blood cancers (lymphoma and leukemia), or other conditions. Ruptured spleen: The spleen is vulnerable to injury, and a ruptured spleen can cause serious life-threatening internal bleeding and is a life-threatening emergency.

Why can't you feel the spleen?

Because the spleen is protected by the rib cage, you can’t easily feel it unless it’s abnormally enlarged. The spleen plays multiple supporting roles in the body. It acts as a filter for blood as part of the immune system. Old red blood cells are recycled in the spleen, and platelets and white blood cells are stored there.

What are the functions of the spleen?

Some of the spleen’s other functions include: 1 Cleaning impurities from the blood 2 Destruction and removal of old red blood cells 3 Storing blood in case of emergency, such as trauma

Which type of cells are in the spleen?

In addition to filtering blood through pulp-like tissue, the spleen also houses two very important types of immunity-related white blood cells: lymphocytes and phagocytes.

What is the pancreas?

The pancreas is a wing-shaped gland that extends from the duodenum (the upper portion of the small intestine) to the spleen. It serves both digestive and endocrine functions.

Which gland is responsible for regulating the level of sugar in the blood?

The fluid and bile wait to be released into the duodenum when the stomach releases food. The pancreas also functions as an endocrine gland by producing two very important hormones that help regulate the level of sugar in the blood: insulin and glucagon.

Which organ produces large amounts of fluid that protects the lining of the small intestine from the acidic?

The pancreas also produces large amounts of fluid that protects the lining of the small intestine from the acidic chyme (partially-digested food) that it receives from the stomach. This fluid collects in a main duct that joins with a common bile duct.

Can you live without a spleen?

Humans can live without a spleen because other organs — such as the liver — can take over the spleen’s function. However, people who have had their spleens removed are at greater risk of contracting serious infections. Last medically reviewed on January 20, 2018.

Can you lose your spleen in an accident?

Destruction and removal of old red blood cells. Storing blood in case of emergency, such as trauma. Because the spleen is soft, it can be injured in an accident, but this is rarely life threatening. If the damage is severe enough, the spleen may need to be surgically removed through a procedure called splenectomy.

What causes a ruptured spleen?

Injury to the left side of the body. A ruptured spleen is typically caused by a blow to the left upper abdomen or the left lower chest , such as might happen during sporting accidents, fistfights and car crashes. An injured spleen can rupture soon after the abdominal trauma or, in some cases, days or weeks after the injury.

What happens if your spleen breaks?

A ruptured spleen may pour a large amount of blood into the abdominal cavity. A ruptured spleen is a medical emergency that occurs as a result of a break in your spleen's surface. Your spleen, situated just under your rib cage on your left side, helps your body fight infection and filter old blood cells from your bloodstream.

Why is my spleen enlarged?

Your spleen can become enlarged when blood cells accumulate in the spleen. An enlarged spleen can be caused by various underlying problems, such as mononucleosis and other infections, liver disease, and blood cancers.

What to do if you have an enlarged spleen?

If you've been diagnosed with an enlarged spleen, ask your doctor whether you need to avoid activities for several weeks that could cause it to rupture. These might include contact sports, heavy lifting and other activities that increase the risk of abdominal trauma.

Can a ruptured spleen cause bleeding?

Without emergency treatment, the internal bleeding caused by a ruptured spleen can be life-threatening. Some people with ruptured spleens need emergency surgery. Others can be treated with several days of hospital care.

Lungs, Skin, Large Intestine – Grief, Courage

According to traditional medical systems, grief and sadness are felt in the lungs, skin, and large intestine.

Kidney, Ears, Bladder – Fear

These organs are the first to respond to fear. Once you feel it, your fight or flight response is triggered, and adrenaline floods your body.

Liver, Eyes, Gallbladder – Anger, Generosity

Feelings of anger and rage affect your liver and travel upwards to your head. This can cause migraines, dizziness, lack of clarity, and many other strong bodily sensations.

Heart, Small Intestine – Impatience, Love

As one of the vital organs in your body, your heart reacts to strong emotions of hate or impatience. These emotions can lead to heart palpitations, brain fog, insomnia, and many other unpleasant sensations and disorders.

Spleen, Stomach, Pancreas – Anxiety, Trust

The “gut feeling” that many people believe in is very real. There’s a strong connection between your gut and brain, so it comes as no surprise that it’s affected by strong emotions.

What Is The spleen?

Location of The Spleen

• Where is the spleen?
  The spleen lies within the abdominal cavity and is almost entirely tucked behind the left ribcage. It is only palpable on the anterolateral abdominal wall (below the left costal margin) if it is enlarged. It sits against the diaphragm and the posterior abdominal wall in close relation to the ribs. Its loc…
• Organs Surrounding the Spleen
  The following organs and structures surround the spleen on the different sides. 1. Anteriorly(front) lies the stomach. 2. Posteriorly(back) and laterally(outer side) lies the left diaphragm, 9th to 11th ribs and the pleura of the lungs. 3. Medially(inner side) lies the left kidney. 4. Inferiorly(bottom) li…

See more on healthhype.com

Anatomy of The Spleen

Functions of The Spleen