Universidad de Guadalajara
            Centro Universitario Ciencias de la Salud




                     Spleen
Giovanna Lazcano Sherman
                           Dr. Héctor Manuel Virgen Ayala
     November 2011          Dr. Benjamín Robles Mariscal
Anatomy
      Develops from
       mesenchymal
     cells in the dorsal
       mesogastrium
      during the fifth
     week of gestation.
The
peritoneum
  covering the
spleen, except in
   the hilum.
7cm



   150 gr.
(80 -300 gr).              12 cm




                      3 – 4 cm
Ligaments
• Gastrosplenic     • Splenophrenic
• Splenorenal       • Splenocolic
Irrigation and venous drainage
Histology/Physiology
1. Splenic
Trauma/Injury
2. Hypersplenism
Cronic Lymphocytic
          Leukemia
Is a B-cell leukemia that is
    characterized by the
 progressive accumulation
  of relatively mature, but
         functionally
incompetent, lymphocytes.

    Splenectomy  for palliation of symptomatic
 splenomegaly and for treatment of cytopenia related to
                   hypersplenism
Hairy cell leukemia
                       Splenomegaly, pancytopenia
                             , and neoplastic
                         mononuclear cells in the
                        peripheral blood and bone
                                 marrow


Administration of purine analogues, as initial
treatment.  Splenectomy…massive enlargement
 of the spleen or with evidence of hypersplenism.
Myelodysplastic
  syndrome
   The bone marrow is usually
    replaced by fibrous tissue.


                     Splenectomy ...
      * Hemolysis unresponsive to treatment.
 * Symptoms esoplenomegalia graces of mass.
        * Life-threatening thrombocytopenia.
Systemic mast cell disease
                     indolent

                     aggressive

    Splenectomy
(thrombocytopenia)
Gaucher disease
             Autosomal recessive disorder
               caused by a deficiency of
              beta-glucosidase.
            (an enzyme that degrades the
                     sphingolipid
                  glucocerebroside)

Splenectomy for hypersplenism-related
   pancytopenia. (leaving a remnant)
Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome
A X-linked recessive disease
characterized by
eczema, thrombocytopenia
(20,000 – 40,000) immune
deficiency, and bloody diarrhea
(secondary to the thrombocytopenia).

      Splenectomy normalizes the shape, size
       and function of platelets. (Increased survival).
Sarcoidosis

                Granulomatous
              disease of unknown
                    origin.


Splenectomy for hypersplenism-
      related pancytopenia.
3. Disorder
Autoimmune/Erythro
        cyte
Hereditary spherocytosis
              Hemolytic anemia, the
                  deficiency of
               membrane proteins
              (spectrin, ankyrin and
                   protein 4-2)
                 Characterized by
               sphere-shaped
                 red blood cells.
Hereditary elliptocytosis




Only 10% are symptomatic  Splenectomy
Hereditary nonspherocytic
   hemolytic anemia.
                        • Anaerobic
                          metabolism
                          (energy).
                        • Production of
                          antioxidants
                          (glutathione)

   Splenectomy is not curative but
     improve some conditions.
Immune hemolytic anemia

             • IgM

             • IgG




           Splenectomy
Immune Thrombocytopenic
        Purpura



                 IGg 
               fibrinogen
                receptor
Treatment
Mild symptoms or asymptomatic ... not require specific
                    treatment.

                   Corticosteroids.

                    Splenectomy
Felty’s syndrome
              Rheumatoid arthritis




Neutropenia                          Splenomegaly
   IgG
Trombotic
trombocitopenic purpura
• Fever
                     Plasmapheresis
• Thrombocytopenic
  purpura
                      Splenectomy
• Hemolytic anemia
• Neurologic
  manifestations
• Renal failure
4. Vascular
 disease.
Splenic vein thrombosis




       20%
5. Cysts, abscesses
and primary splenic
      tumors.
Cysts
        Rx calcification in the cyst wall

   Primary
Splenic tumors              Abscesses
 •   Lymphoma               40-100% mortality
 •   Sarcoma                Rx  Presence of gas
                            in the spleen
 •   Hemangioma
                            (pathognomonic)
 •   Hamartoma              CT  Diagnostics
6. Diagnostic
splenectomy
Single lesions of the spleen

 Malignant
lesions 60%
   Benign
lesions 40%
7. Incidental
splenectomy
8. Iatrogenic
splenectomy
Splenectomy most common ...

40 - 50% Hematologic disorders.
35 - 40% Trauma.
20 -30% Neoplastic disease.

      Immune Thrombocytopenic
    Purpura has the highest incidence

Spleen