Definition of Spleen:
The largest organ of the lymphatic system in the body, located between the stomach and the diaphragm (the muscle below the lungs which provides the motion for breathing). It destroys old red blood cells, produces lymphocytes and plasma cells, and stores blood. It also has other as yet unknown functions. A splenectomy is the surgical removal of the spleen.
Also: Splenectomy
Topics Related to Spleen
A Low Platelet Count
...the condition
“...Because the spleen filters the platelet-immune complex it may be necessary to remove it in order to reduce the production of anti-platelet antibodies and slow the clearance of platelets from the system...”
Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
...the condition
“...It can then spread to other parts of the body, including the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), and testicles (in males)...”
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More topics Related to Spleen
Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)
...the condition
“...It can sometimes spread to other parts of the body including the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), and testicles in males...”
American Skullcap
...as a treatment
“...It should also be avoided by those with stomach or spleen problems. It can lower blood sugar levels, so diabetics should only take it under a doctor's supervision: the effects of diabetes medication are increased, and therefore so is the risk of...”
Anemia
...the condition
“...The doctor will look for abnormal heart rate or breathing, enlarged spleen and/or liver, pallor, and any other obvious signs and symptoms...”
Brucellosis
...the condition
“...The liver and/or spleen may become enlarged...”
Budd-Chiari Syndrome
...the condition
“...Symptoms include ... Spleen enlargement...”
Chagas Disease
...the condition
“...These symptoms may include fatigue, fever, enlarged liver or spleen, and swollen lymph glands...”
Chediak-Higashi Syndrome
...the condition
“...Physical examination may show a swollen spleen or liver, or jaundice (yellow-tinged skin)...”
Chinese Skullcap
...as a treatment
“...It should also be avoided by those with stomach or spleen problems. It can lower blood sugar levels, so diabetics should only take it under a doctor's supervision: the effects of diabetes medication are increased and, therefore, so is the risk of...”
Chromium
...as a treatment
“...This mineral is stored in many parts of the body, including the skin, fat, brain, muscles, spleen, kidneys, and testes...”
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
...the condition
“...In time, it can also invade other parts of the body, including the lymph nodes, liver, and spleen. Compared to other types of leukemia, CLL usually grows slowly...”
Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML)
...the condition
“...In time, the cells can also invade other parts of the body, including the spleen. CML can also change into a fast-growing acute leukemia that invades almost any organ in the body...”
Chronic Neutrophilic Leukemia (CNL)
...the condition
“...Chronic neutrophilic leukemia features persistent neutrophilia, increased white blood cell production in the bone marrow, and enlargement of the liver and spleen (hepatosplenomegaly)...”
Cirrhosis of the Liver
...the condition
“...A physical examination may reveal an enlarged liver or spleen, distended abdomen, yellow eyes or skin (jaundice), red spider-like blood vessels on the skin, excess breast tissue, small testicles in men, contracted fingers, or dilated abdominal wall veins...”
Consequences of Splenectomy
...the condition
“The spleen is a vital organ and is used by the immune system for several critical functions and for this reason a splenectomy has serious and long-term consequences...”
...recommendation Antibiotics
“In order to reduce further the small risk of serious infection, a person who has undergone splenectomy will need to take antibiotics for the rest of their life...”
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection
...the condition
“...Fever usually resolves in around 10 days, and swollen lymph glands and spleen return to normal in 4 weeks...”
Dandelion
...as a treatment
“...Dandelion extracts are said to also benefit the spleen and improve the health of the pancreas...”
Enlarged Lymph Nodes
...the condition
“...The lymphatic system is a complex network of thin vessels, valves, ducts, nodes and organs (for example the tonsils, spleen, and thymus)...”
Enlarged Spleen
...the condition
“Alternative names: Splenomegaly Since the spleen is involved in so many bodily functions, it is vulnerable to a wide range of disorders involving the blood or lymph system, infection, malignancies, liver disease, or parasites...”
...our question about Pain in the upper abdomen / stomach area
“The spleen in located in the upper far left part of the abdomen...”
...relationship to Hypersplenism
“Hypersplenism is sometimes referred to as enlarged spleen (splenomegaly), but in fact an enlarged spleen is one of the symptoms of hypersplenism...”
...relationship to Leukemia
“ALL, CML, or hairy cell leukemia can cause enlargement of the spleen.”
...relationship to Infectious Mononucleosis - Mono
“About 50-75% of people with mononucleosis have some spleen enlargement, usually seen two to three weeks after they first become sick...”
...relationship to Congestive Heart Failure
“In severe failure of the right ventricle, elevated venous pressures are transmitted to the portal system, leading to congestion of the spleen and splenomegaly.”
...recommendation Surgery
“A severely ruptured spleen is usually surgically removed...”
Epigastric
...related topic
“...It contains the stomach, liver tip, pancreas tail, duodenum, spleen, adrenal glands, transverse colon, small intestine, the left and right kidneys, and the left and right ureters.”
Essential Thrombocythemia
...the condition
“...Where symptoms are present, they may include ... Enlarged spleen...”
Felty's Syndrome
...related topic
“A group of abnormal changes (such as an enlarged spleen, frequent infections, and a decreased white blood cell count) that accompanies rheumatoid arthritis.”
Fennel
...as a treatment
“...In Chinese medicine, the seeds (hui xiang) are thought to be a toner for the spleen and kidneys, and are also used in urinary and reproductive disharmonies...”
Hemolytic
...related topic
“...and skillfully balanced, the term is usually applied to excess conditions or toxic substances that degrade the bonds between healthy red blood cells and their hemoglobin coat or cause the liver and spleen to hypercatabolize otherwise healthy erythrocytes.”
Hemolytic Anemia
...the condition
“...The deformity causes red blood cells to become trapped in the spleen, where most are destroyed before the end of their normal lifespan...”
Hepatitis
...the condition
“...If hepatitis is suspected, your health care provider will feel and tap your chest and back to determine if your liver or spleen is enlarged or tender...”
Hepatosplenomegaly
...related topic
“Simultaneous enlargement of both the liver (hepatomegaly) and the spleen (splenomegaly).”
High Body Fat Percentage
...the condition
“...This fat is found in the bone marrow and spinal cord; it surrounds the liver, spleen, heart, kidneys, and other organs...”
Histiocytosis X
...the condition
“...The histiocytes damage not only the lungs but also the skin, lymph glands, bone, liver, and spleen. Collapse of a lung (pneumothorax) may occur...”
Histoplasmosis
...the condition
“...When histoplasmosis spreads, it can affect bone marrow, the liver, spleen, lymph nodes, mouth, intestines, brain, and the adrenal glands...”
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More topics Related to Spleen
Hodgkin's Lymphoma
...the condition
“...Hodgkin's disease may occur in a single lymph node, a group of lymph nodes, or, sometimes, in other parts of the lymphatic system such as the bone marrow and spleen. This type of cancer tends to spread in a fairly orderly way from one group of lymph nodes to the next group...”
Hypersplenism
...the condition
“Hypersplenism is a type of disorder which causes the spleen to rapidly and prematurely destroy blood cells...”
...related topic
“A condition in which there is an abnormal enlargement of the spleen and an abnormal decrease in white blood cells.”
Indian Long Pepper
...as a treatment
“...Indian long pepper is used for the following ... splenomegaly (enlarged spleen)...”
Infectious Mononucleosis - Mono
...the condition
“...Contact sports should be avoided while the spleen is enlarged...”
Iron Requirement
...the condition
“...The body stores iron in the liver, spleen, kidneys and bone marrow as ferritin, hemosiderin and siderophilin...”
Left Hypochondriac
...related topic
“...It contains the spleen, left kidney, pancreas, stomach, liver tip, pancreas tail, descending colon, transverse colon, and small intestine.”
Lei Gong Teng
...as a treatment
“...It should also be used with caution by patients with heart, stomach or spleen problems. Because of its toxicity, it should not be used by patients impaired liver function.”
Leukemia
...the condition
“...Treatment depends on the type of leukemia present ... Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL): Incurable, but many effective treatments including radiotherapy, corticosteroids, splenectomy...”
Liver Cancer
...the condition
“...If a patient has symptoms that suggest liver cancer, the doctor performs one or more of the following procedures ... Physical exam – The doctor feels the abdomen to check the liver, spleen, and nearby organs for any lumps or changes in their shape or size...”
Lymphatic Congestion
...the condition
“...The secondary lymphoid organs include lymph nodes, spleen, appendix, tonsils, adenoids and Peyer's patches (lymphoid tissue present in the small and large intestines)...”
Macrophage
...related topic
“...They line the spleen, form the cleansing Kupffer cells in the liver, make up the "dust cells" that protect the lungs, protect the synovial fluids of the joints, and form the microglial cells that provide protection...”
Mastocytosis
...the condition
“...Mast cells are found in the in skin, lymph nodes, internal organs such as the liver and spleen, and the linings of the lung, stomach, and intestine...”
Megaloblastic Anemia / Pernicious Anemia
...the condition
“...Enlargement of liver and spleen (hepatosplenomegaly) may also occur, accompanied by yellow discoloration of the skin (jaundice) or pallor...”
Monocytes Elevated
...the condition
“...After a few hours they migrate to tissues such as the spleen, liver, lung, and bone marrow, where they mature into macrophages, the main scavenger cells of the immune system...”
Myelodysplastic Syndrome
...the condition
“...A blood count can show the following signs: neutropenia (low white blood cell count); anemia (low red blood cell count); thrombocytopenia (low platelet count); enlarged spleen (splenomegaly); (more rarely) enlarged liver (hepatomegaly); abnormal granules in cells; abnormal nuclear shape and size; chromosomal abnormalities, including chromosomal translocations and...”
Myelofibrosis
...the condition
“...The liver and spleen will try to compensate by taking over some of the blood cell production, causing swelling of these organs, which can in turn result in a feeling of abdominal fullness...”
Myeloproliferative Neoplasm
...the condition
“...Many patients show no symptoms but one symptom shared by all myeloproliferative disorders, with the exception of essential thrombocytosis, is an enlarged spleen. An enlarged spleen can cause abdominal pain and a feeling of fullness...”
Neutrophilia
...the condition
“...Neutrophils move into tissues randomly and are destroyed in the spleen, liver, and bone marrow after performing their function...”
Night Sweats
...relationship to Chronic / Hidden Infection
“A hidden infection, such as an abscess in the liver or spleen, can cause night sweats and fever without many other symptoms.”
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
...the condition
“...This type of cancer can spread to almost any part of the body, including the liver, bone marrow, and spleen. Over the years, doctors have used a variety of terms to classify the many different types of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma...”
Oregon Grape Root
...as a treatment
“...They affect the blood, intestines, liver, skin, spleen and stomach...”
Osteonecrosis
...the condition
“...All three are characterized by the presence of Gaucher (lipid-laden) cells in the bone marrow and other organs such as the spleen and liver...”
Parsley
...as a treatment
“...Other traditional uses include the treatment of diseases of the prostate, liver, and spleen, anemia, and arthritis; as an expectorant, antimicrobial, aphrodisiac, hypotensive, laxative; and as a scalp lotion to stimulate hair growth...”
Peyer's Patches
...related topic
“...They are one of the organs of the immune system which also includes the lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, tonsils and the appendix.”
Polycythemia Vera
...the condition
“...The earliest symptoms frequently include ... liver and spleen enlargement, causing a dull, intermittent ache in the abdomen...”
Sarcoidosis
...the condition
“...It is a granulomatous disease in which inflammation may occur in lymph nodes, lungs, liver, eyes, skin, joints, kidneys, liver and spleen, and other tissues...”
Scotch Broom
...as a treatment
“...It quiets an overactive heart and relieves inflammation, toothache, ague, acute constipation, and swelling of the spleen. It has been used against lice...”
Sickle Cell Trait / Disease
...the condition
“...Complications from the sickle cells blocking blood flow and breaking apart early include ... blood blockage in the spleen or liver (sequestration)...”
Sideroblastic Anemia
...the condition
“...Possible complications of sideroblastic anemia include ... Enlargement of the liver and spleen...”
Splenitis
...related topic
“Inflammation of the spleen, caused by a variety of conditions ranging from exposure to hemolytic chemicals, systemic infections lodged in the spleen, even cancer...”
Subphrenic Abscess
...the condition
“...Risk factors for secondary subphrenic abscess include ... surgery to remove the spleen (splenectomy)...”
Thalassemia
...the condition
“...The spleen has blood forming cells, the same as the bone marrow...”
Toxoplasmosis
...the condition
“...and well as serious problems with the child such as water on the brain, brain damage, learning difficulty, epilepsy, jaundice, deafness, eye infection, blindness, deafness, enlarged liver or spleen, growth problems, cerebral palsy...”
Ultrasound Imaging
...as a treatment
“...Ultrasound is used to provide images of the following ... heart, thyroid gland, breasts, eyes, bladder, testicles, ovaries, spleen (to look for cysts, tumors, foreign objects)...”
Weight Loss
...as a treatment
“...Possible complications include leaking of stomach juices into the abdomen, injury to the spleen, erosion of the band, breakdown of the staple line and the sectioned portion stretching from overeating...”
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Last updated: Jun 29, 2020