Does The Spleen Filter Blood

Picture of the Spleen

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picture of human spleen

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Front View of the Spleen

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'due south commonly fist-shaped, purple, and most 4 inches long. Because the spleen is protected by the rib cage, you lot can't easily feel it unless it's abnormally enlarged.

The spleen plays multiple supporting roles in the body. It acts equally a filter for blood as part of the immune organisation. Quondam red blood cells are recycled in the spleen, and platelets and white claret cells are stored there. The spleen also helps fight sure kinds of bacteria that cause pneumonia and meningitis.

Spleen Conditions

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. An injured spleen may rupture immediately after an injury, or in some cases, days or weeks after an injury.
Sickle cell affliction: In this inherited form of anemia, abnormal cherry blood cells block the period of claret through vessels and can pb to organ damage, including impairment to the spleen. People with sickle cell disease need immunizations to forbid illnesses their spleen helped fight.
Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count): An enlarged spleen sometimes stores excessive numbers of the body'southward platelets. Splenomegaly can result in abnormally few platelets circulating in the bloodstream where they vest.
Accessory spleen: Virtually 10% of people have a modest extra spleen. This causes no problems and is considered normal.

Spleen Tests

Physical examination: By pressing on the belly under the left ribcage, a dr. tin can feel an enlarged spleen. They can as well wait for other signs of illnesses that cause splenomegaly.
Computed tomography (CT scan): A CT scanner takes multiple X-rays, and a computer creates detailed images of the abdomen. Contrast dye may be injected into your veins to improve the images.
Ultrasound: A probe is placed on the belly, and harmless sound waves create images past reflecting off the spleen and other organs. Splenomegaly tin can be detected past ultrasound.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Magnetic waves create highly detailed images of the abdomen. Past using contrast dye, claret flow to the spleen tin also exist measured with MRI.
Bone marrow biopsy: A needle is inserted into a large bone (such as the pelvis) and a sample of bone marrow is taken out. Leukemia or lymphoma, which crusade splenomegaly, are sometimes diagnosed by os marrow biopsy.
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.

Spleen Treatments

Splenectomy: The spleen is removed by surgery, either through laparoscopy (multiple small incisions) or laparotomy (one large incision).
Vaccinations: After spleen removal, it'southward important to get vaccinations confronting certain bacteria, such as H. influenza and S. pneumonia. An absent spleen increases vulnerability to these infections.

Usually, treatments for spleen weather focus not on the spleen, just on treating the underlying condition.