What is an accessory spleen diagnosis?

Accessory spleen is a congenital anomaly characterized by ectopic splenic tissue separated from the main body of the spleen. This is found commonly, in 10–30% of autopsy studies, although patients are often asymptomatic and diagnosis is incidental to other abdominal pathology [1].

Where are accessory spleens usually found?

They occur in 10–30% of patients on postmortem studies26 and in approximately 2% more than one may be present. Accessory spleens are most commonly located medial to the splenic hilum, adjacent to or within the pancreatic tail or below the spleen (in the splenorenal ligament).

What causes accessory spleens?

Accessory spleens are congenital and form as a result of failure of fusion of multiple buds of splenic tissue in the dorsal mesogastrium in the fifth week of embryonic life. They have their own blood supply, which is usually from a branch of the splenic artery.

What is the second most common location for an accessory spleen?

The most common locations for accessory spleens are the hilum of the spleen and adjacent to the tail of the pancreas.

Can an accessory spleen cause problems?

However, most accessory spleens are asymptomatic. Accessory spleen torsion is a rare entity causing acute abdominal pain with occasional complications such as infarction, spontaneous rupture and hemorrhagic shock, infection and peritonitis, and intestinal obstruction.

Can a tumor be mistaken for an accessory spleen?

The accessory spleen is a common congenital anomaly, typically asymptomatic and harmless to the patient. However, in some clinical cases, this anomaly becomes significant as it can be mistaken for a tumour or lymph node and be missed during a therapeutic splenectomy.

Is an accessory spleen harmful?

One piece often is smaller than the other and is referred to as an accessory spleen. Multiple (accessory) spleens do not cause medical problems, and nothing is done about them. Rarely, accessory spleens may be confused with tumors.

Why can accessory spleen be problematic?

An accessory spleen commonly has a well-defined fibrotic capsule that separates the surrounding normal tissue [18]. These accessories spleens are often asymptomatic but may present as an abdominal mass connected to complications such as torsion, haemorrhage, spontaneous rupture or cyst formation.

Can an accessory spleen grow?

Unlike some other organs, like the liver, the spleen does not grow back (regenerate) after it is removed. Up to 30% of people have a second spleen (called an accessory spleen). These are usually very small, but may grow and function when the main spleen is removed.

Is an accessory spleen functional?

In a clinical case necessitating a therapeutic splenectomy, it is necessary to remove accessory splenic tissue as well to resolve symptoms. If the accessory splenic tissue is not removed, then symptoms will continue because an accessory spleen is functional splenic tissue.

Can a Splenule be cancerous?

There is a type of cancer that develops in the spleen. The medical term for it is splenic marginal zone lymphoma – SMZL for short. It is a rare cancer, comprising only about two percent of all lymphomas.

Can tumor be mistaken for accessory spleen?

What cancers metastasize to the spleen?

Conclusions: The most common primary sources of splenic metastasis are breast, lung, colorectal, and ovarian carcinomas and melanoma in cases of multivisceral cancer and colorectal and ovarian carcinomas in cases of solitary splenic lesion.

Can a cancerous spleen be removed?

A splenectomy is a surgical procedure in which all or part of the spleen is removed. A splenectomy can be done to treat both benign and cancerous conditions such as Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and some types of leukemia, such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia and hairy cell leukemia.

What is the life expectancy after splenectomy?

Survival. When considering all cases, the median survival was 80 months. Following emergency splenectomy, the median survival was 72 months compared with 89 months following elective surgery (p=0.381) (Table 1).

What viral infections cause enlarged spleen?

Causes

• Viral infections, such as mononucleosis.
• Bacterial infections, such as syphilis or an infection of your heart’s inner lining (endocarditis)
• Parasitic infections, such as malaria.
• Cirrhosis and other diseases affecting the liver.