Spleen – structure and functions. The most common diseases of the spleen [WE EXPLAIN]

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A healthy spleen cannot be felt, which is why most people cannot even tell on which side of the body the largest organ of the lymphatic system is located. Although you can live without a spleen, it has many important functions in the body. In some disease states it becomes larger, which is often the first sign that something is wrong with the body. Where is the spleen in the human body? What are the functions of the spleen?

Spleen – structure

The spleen is the largest organ of the lymphatic system. It is an important organ for maintaining body fluid balance, but one can live without it.

The spleen is located in the abdominal cavity, on its left side. It is usually located around the XNUMXth and XNUMXth ribs. During the manual examination of the organ, the doctor slides his hands under the costal arch. However, a healthy spleen should not be palpable.

The organ is small and weighs only 150 g. One of its functions is to store blood, and usually 50 ml of fluid is contained in it, but this amount may increase several times.

Inside the spleen there are spots of white pulp, which are in fact lymphocyte clusters. The white pulp is surrounded by the red pulp. There are bands of smooth muscles in the organ. Their contractions cause blood to be pushed or sucked inward.

The editorial board recommends: What does elevated levels of lymphocytes in the body mean?

Spleen – functions

The main function of the spleen is to filter the blood. Recognizes and removes old, misshapen or damaged red blood cells (erythrocytes). When blood enters the spleen, the spleen performs a “quality check”.

Healthy blood cells simply pass through the spleen and continue to circulate in the bloodstream. Blood cells that fail the “test” will be broken down in the spleen by macrophages. Macrophages are large white blood cells that specialize in destroying unhealthy red blood cells.

The spleen is always economical and saves all the useful ingredients from old cells, such as iron. It stores the iron in the form of ferritin or bilirubin and eventually returns the iron to the bone marrow, where hemoglobin is produced. Hemoglobin is an important protein in the blood that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body that need it.

Another important function of the spleen is blood storage. The blood vessels in the human spleen can expand or narrow, depending on the body’s needs. When the vessels are dilated, the spleen can actually hold up to a cup of spare blood. If for some reason you need extra blood – for example, if an injury causes blood loss – the spleen may respond by releasing spare blood back into the system.

The spleen also plays an important role in the immune system, which helps the body fight infections. The spleen can detect any unwanted microorganisms (such as bacteria or viruses) in the blood, just as it detects defective red blood cells.

When harmful pathogens appear in the body, the spleen, together with the lymph nodes, produces defense cells – lymphocytes. These are precisely the white blood cells that produce antibodies, special proteins that weaken or kill bacteria, viruses and other organisms that cause an infection. The antibodies and white blood cells also prevent infections from spreading throughout the body by trapping and destroying germs.

Also read: What can an enlarged lymph node prove?

Spleen – can you live without it?

The spleen plays a very important role in the human body, but it is an organ without which one can live and function normally. In some cases, it may be removed as a consequence of its damage, diseases or cancer.

Other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes and the liver, are able to replace the functions of the spleen. However, remember that the spleen is so important to the immune system that people who lack it are more prone to infections.

Therefore, the doctor in such a situation may recommend taking additional precautions, such as, for example, vaccinations. Immediately after surgery to remove the spleen, the person will undergo antibiotic therapy.

Removing the spleen from the body does not mean disability, many people, despite the lack of it, enjoy their lives to the full.

Also check: As the spleen grows, check the blood! It could be a genetic disease!

Spleen – diseases of the spleen

The spleen can undergo a number of anatomical defects. Sometimes the organ is non-functional or not developing at all. This condition is called asplenia. Interestingly, extra spleens appear very often, which are not even considered an ailment due to the prevalence of this phenomenon. One or more accessory spleens may be present – in some people as many as 40 additional organs have been found.

Occasionally, extra spleen tissue is also located in the scrotum, which is called the spleen-scrotum junction. The most common symptom of this organ is splenomegaly, i.e. enlargement of the spleen.

To support the work of the spleen, you can use Spleen on a regular basis – a mixture of herbs available on Medonet Market in 350 g packages.

Enlarged spleen – splenomegaly

An enlarged spleen, also called splenomegaly, is a serious but usually treatable condition. However, an enlarged spleen poses a risk of rupture. All of us can have enlarged spines, but children with mononucleosis, adults with certain inherited metabolic disorders, including Gaucher and Neimann-Pick disease, and people who live or travel to areas endemic to malaria are at greater risk.

Various infections, liver diseases, tumors and blood diseases are common causes of spleen enlargement. These infections and diseases include:

1. viral infections such as mononucleosis
2. bacterial infections,
3. parasitic infections such as malaria
4. metabolic disorders,
5. hemolytic anemia,
6. liver disease
7. cirrhosis,
8. blood cancers and lymphomas, such as Hodgkin’s disease
9. pressure or blood clots in the veins of the liver or spleen.

In many cases, the spleen does not make itself felt. Doctors usually discover an enlarged spleen during a routine physical exam. Jif symptoms are present they can include:

1. pain in the upper left side of the abdomen which may reach the shoulder
2. general fatigue,
3. anemia,
4. feeling full without food,
5. excessive bleeding from wounds.

Treatment for an enlarged spleen usually heals by addressing the underlying problem. If the cause of spleen enlargement cannot be determined, or if the condition is causing a serious complication, such as a ruptured spleen, doctors may suggest removing it.

See: Fatigue at your own request

Cracked spleen – causes and symptoms

A ruptured spleen occurs when the surface of that organ is damaged, which can lead to internal bleeding. A ruptured spleen can potentially be life threatening if not treated promptly.

The surface of the spleen is protected by a layer of tissue called a capsule. Injury to this layer is usually associated with blunt trauma, but can also occur in conditions that cause enlargement of the spleen.

Spleen injuries can be caused by:

1. car, motorcycle or bicycle accidents,
2. contact sports, such as football,
3. beating, attacks.

Diseases that can increase the risk of spleen rupture include:

1. infections such as mononucleosis and malaria
2. cancers such as lymphoma that lead to an enlargement of the spleen
3. metabolic disorders,
4. liver disease.

The main symptom of a ruptured spleen is severe abdominal pain, especially on the left side. Pain can also relate to (feel) in the left arm and can cause pain when breathing.

Other symptoms that are associated with a drop in blood pressure due to internal bleeding include:

1. feeling light-headed
2. confusion,
3. anxiety,
4. nausea,
5. blurred image seen.

Read: We expose lymphoma on September 15!

Spleen cancer – causes and symptoms

Cancer that first begins in the spleen is a rare occurrence. Scientists believe it is present in less than 2% of all lymphomas and 1% of all non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas.

The form of cancer that develops in the spleen is called marginal spleen lymphoma or SMLD, which is considered a type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Since most cancers that affect the spleen are cancers that spread from elsewhere, understanding what causes spleen cancer means looking at the causes of these other diseases.

Most cancers that start in the spleen are types of lymphoma or leukemia. In most cases, no specific cause for the condition can be found. Nevertheless, researchers have identified factors that may increase the risk of developing lymphoma, including:

1. older age,
2. male gender,
3. having a relative with lymphoma,
4. impaired immune system,
5. susceptibility to infection.

Several studies have found an association between infection with the hepatitis C virus and the risk of developing a specific type of cancer known as B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which can lead to spleen cancer.

People with spleen cancer may have different symptoms or, in some cases, no symptoms at all. About 25% of people with SMLD show no symptoms at all.

The most common symptoms of spleen cancer have:

1. an enlarged spleen that may become twice as large as normal
2. stomach pain, usually in the upper left corner
3. constant feeling of fatigue,
4. unexplained weight loss
5. fever,
6. night sweats
7. high level of lymphocytes in the blood.

Splenectomy – a procedure to remove the spleen

There are several reasons why your spleen may need to be removed. The list below, although not exhaustive, contains the most common indications for this treatment.

Autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP): this is the most common cause of spleen removal. In this disease, the patient’s platelet count is low because the body produces antibodies against the platelets that destroy them in the spleen. Since platelets are blood cells that help blood clot, patients are at risk of bleeding. The first line of treatment is medical therapy, but when this fails, removal of the spleen (splenectomy) can heal or at least significantly improve the platelet count in most cases.

Hemolytic anemia: in this disease, the body produces antibodies against red blood cells which are then destroyed in the spleen. When medical therapy has failed, some patients require removal of the spleen to prevent or reduce the need for transfusions.

Hereditary (genetic) diseases: There are several diseases that affect the shape of red blood cells: sickle cell anemia or thalassemia. In these patients, the spleen recognizes red blood cells as abnormal and may reduce them, possibly requiring a splenectomy to relieve symptoms.

Spleen tumors: rarely, patients with a cancer of the cells known as lymphoma or certain types of leukemia require the removal of the spleen. When the spleen becomes enlarged, it sometimes removes too many platelets from the blood and has to be removed. Sometimes the spleen is removed to diagnose or treat a tumor.

Other reasons for spleen removal: sometimes the blood supply to the spleen becomes blocked (heart attack) or the artery dilates abnormally (aneurysm) and the spleen needs to be removed. The spleen is rarely infected and is best treated by removal.

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