Common Treatment Options For An Enlarged Spleen

Author: Ahsan Bhatti, MD

Your spleen is an organ that doesn’t draw much attention unless there is a problem with it, however it is a very fascinating organ. Your spleen contains infection-fighting white blood cells, regulates red and white blood cell levels and helps to filter out old and damaged red blood cells. Knowing all this, you’d assume it is an essential organ, but it turns out your body can continue to function just fine without your spleen.

One of the most common problems that develops with your spleen is an issue that causes it to inflame or enlarge. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some of the causes of an enlarged spleen, and we explain how a gastroenterologist can help treat the condition.

Causes And Symptoms Of An Enlarged Spleen

The most common cause of an enlarged spleen is a viral or bacterial infection. As the epicenter of white blood cell production, it makes sense that the spleen would be affected by the presence of an infection. Common infections that can lead to an enlarged spleen include mononucleosis, syphilis, endocarditis and parasitic infections like malaria. However, infection is not the only cause of an enlarged spleen. The condition can also develop as a result of other diseases, especially conditions that affect the liver, like cirrhosis, or blood disorders like anemia. Certain blood cancers and metabolic disorders can also cause the organ to inflame.

Your symptoms may make it obvious that you’re dealing with a condition that requires treatment, but the fact that your symptoms stem from an enlarged spleen may not be obvious. Because of this, if you’re dealing with any of the following conditions, you should seek out a medical diagnosis:

• Pain or pressure in the upper left abdomen area
• Discomfort that increases when breathing in
• Feeling full without eating or after eating a very small meal
• Frequent tiredness
• Easy bleeding
• Frequent infections

Treating an enlarged spleen is essential to prevent the possibility of a ruptured spleen, which can cause life-threatening complications.

Diagnosing and Treating Spleen Enlargement

If you are dealing with the above symptoms, or you believe you’re dealing with an infection that’s causing problems for your spleen, seek out a gastroenterologist as soon as possible. They’ll start by asking about your symptoms and then move forward with a physical exam that may involve putting light pressure on the skin above the spleen to see if symptoms arise. However, an enlarged spleen is most commonly diagnosed with an imaging test like an MRI or CT scan to visualize the organ or to examine blood flow through the organ. A blood test may also be ordered to determine whether the appropriate number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are present in the body.

However, identifying the presence of an enlarged spleen is only half the battle. Your specialist also needs to uncover what’s causing the enlargement so that the root cause can be treated, which in turn allows the spleen to return to normal size. Sometimes this cause can be identified with the CT scan or MRI, but sometimes additional blood or bone marrow tests are required to figure out exactly what’s going on.

Treatment revolves around rectifying the underlying cause, which oftentimes is an infection. Taking antibiotics and medications can help to rid the body of the infection while the doctor simply keeps an eye on the spleen and you monitor symptoms. If the underlying cause is unknown or places you at a high risk for rupture, the doctor may recommend surgery.

Surgery to address an enlarged spleen is called a splenectomy, and it involves the entire removal of the organ. Your body learns how to adapt without the organ, but spleen removal will put you at an increased risk of infection for the remainder of your life, so it’s not a decision to be taken lightly. Many patients who undergo a splenectomy live completely normal lives, although they may take medications to help reduce their infection risk.

So if you are dealing with symptoms that suggest you may be battling an infection and an enlarged spleen, contact Dr. Bhatti and the team at Bhatti GI Consultants today to swiftly and safely help treat the issue.

Spleen enlarged spleen,  spleen

Splenomegaly Information | Mount Sinai

Spleen enlargement; Enlarged spleen; Spleen swelling

Splenomegaly is a larger-than-normal spleen. The spleen is an organ in the upper left part of the belly.

Splenomegaly is an enlargement of the spleen.

Because of its wide variety of functions, the spleen may be affected by many conditions involving the blood or lymph system, and by infection, malignancies, liver disease, and parasites.

Considerations

The spleen is an organ that is a part of the lymph system. The spleen filters the blood and maintains healthy red and white blood cells and platelets. It also plays a role in immune function.

Many health conditions can affect the spleen. These include:

• Diseases of the blood or lymph system
• Infections
• Cancer
• Liver disease

Symptoms of splenomegaly include:

• Hiccups
• Inability to eat a large meal
• Pain in the upper left side of the belly

Causes

Splenomegaly can be caused by any of the following:

• Infections
• Liver diseases
• Blood diseases
• Cancer

Home Care

In rare cases, an injury can rupture the spleen. If you have splenomegaly, your health care provider may advise you to avoid contact sports. Your provider will tell you what else you need to do to take care of yourself and any medical condition.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

There are usually no symptoms from an enlarged spleen. Seek medical help right away if pain in your belly is severe or gets worse when you take a deep breath.

What to Expect at Your Office Visit

The provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history.

A physical exam will be done. The provider will feel and tap along the upper left part of your belly, especially just under the rib cage.

Tests that may be done include:

• Abdominal x-ray, ultrasound, or CT scan
• Blood tests, such as a complete blood count (CBC) and tests of your liver function

Treatment depends on the cause of splenomegaly.

Vos PM, Barnard SA, Cooperberg PL. Benign and malignant lesions of the spleen. In: Gore RM, Levine MS, eds. Textbook of Gastrointestinal Radiology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2015:chap 105.

Vos PM, Mathieson JR, Cooperberg PL. The spleen. In: Rumack CM, Levine D, eds. Diagnostic Ultrasound. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 5.

Winter JN. Approach to the patient with lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 159.

Last reviewed on: 1/25/2022

Reviewed by: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

How to Diagnose Spleen Pain

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How to Diagnose Spleen Pain : Spleen pain is an unpleasant or painful sensation in the spleen, an experience of physical or emotional suffering. Serves as a protective signal of real or suspected tissue damage. The initial diagnosis of pain in the spleen will require an abdominal ultrasound and subsequent consultation with a hematologist. As an additional examination, the doctor may prescribe:

• Abdominal MRI
• CT abdomen
• laboratory tests.

Which doctor treats pain in the spleen: If you have symptoms of pain in the spleen, you should first consult a hematologist, based on the results of the initial examination, the doctor may prescribe an additional consultation with a gastroenterologist.

The spleen is a small organ located inside the left side of the chest, just above the stomach, and is part of the lymphatic system. The functioning of the spleen is affected by many different conditions, diseases, disorders, and injuries that impair the function of the spleen:

• store some blood
• filter the blood by removing cellular waste and getting rid of old or damaged blood cells
• produce white blood cells and antibodies that help fight infection
• maintain normal body fluid levels
• produce antibodies that protect the body from infections

and provokes pain.

Causes of pain in the spleen

Many disorders, conditions, injuries and diseases can cause pain in the spleen:

Enlarged spleen (splenomegaly): Some conditions can cause the spleen to become enlarged. An enlarged spleen can cause pain and an unpleasant feeling of fullness, even without eating. Splenomegaly is a dangerous condition because the spleen can rupture or bleed. Causes of enlarged spleen:

• blood cancers such as leukemia and Hodgkin’s lymphoma, as well as cancers of other parts of the body with metastases to the spleen
• blood clots in the spleen or liver
• certain types of anemia, including hemolytic anemia
• cystic fibrosis
• infections, including mononucleosis, syphilis, malaria and endocarditis (infection of the lining of the heart)
• liver problems, including cirrhosis
• hereditary metabolic disorders such as Gaucher’s disease
• inflammatory diseases, including sarcoidosis
• protein disorders such as amyloidosis.

Functional asplenia: This condition occurs when the spleen does not work properly, destroying healthy red blood cells. Destroying too many blood cells can increase the risk of infection and lead to bruising and bleeding. Functional asplenia can be the result of an accident or injury that damages the spleen, celiac disease, sickle cell disease.

Injury to the spleen: Car accidents and blows to the stomach are common causes of damage to the spleen. This life-threatening injury can cause severe internal bleeding.

Symptoms of a ruptured spleen include palpitations, nausea, dizziness, pain under the ribs on the left side.

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Literature

1. Boger M. M., Mordvov S.A. Ultrasound diagnostics of gastroenterology. Novosibirsk, Nauka, 1988.
2. Kamalov Yu.R. Ultrasound examination of the liver, its large vessels and spleen in chronic diffuse liver diseases // Med. radiology. No. 12. 1991. S. 40-46.
3. Mitkov V.V. Dopplerography in the diagnosis of diseases of the liver, gallbladder, pancreas and their vessels. Moscow. 2000. Ed. Vidar-M. P.32.
4. Zubovsky G.A. Radiation and ultrasound diagnostics of diseases of the liver and biliary tract. Moscow: Medicine, 1988. S. 240.
5. Okorokov A.N. Management. Diagnosis of diseases of internal organs. T4. Diagnosis of blood diseases. Moscow. Medical Literature 2001. S. 373.

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In essence, the spleen is a red pulp of erythrocytes and a white pulp – lymphoid tissue, here the formation of lymphocytes occurs. Organ cells detect foreign antigens and form their own antibodies. The main time of the spleen, experts say, is morning. Therefore, if during the period of 9-11 in the morning there is a feeling of weakness and daytime sleepiness, as well as a lack of appetite, but at the same time an active desire to have a sweet snack, you should think in the direction of diseases of the spleen. There are no pain receptors in it, and unpleasant sensations can appear only when the protective capsule is stretched.

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Important organ

This is one of the organs of the immune system, it is the primary recognition of any infectious agents, bacteria, viruses, formations of antibodies to them. This is where the cells of the immune system are trained to recognize danger.

The spleen is a graveyard of blood cells, such as erythrocytes and platelets, they die there, are processed. Also, the spleen is a depot of iron. There, after the destruction of old red blood cells, iron is stored and used by young red blood cells.

There are no specific diets for the spleen. It all depends on the cause of the pathology of the spleen, on the primary disease.

Destructive diseases

There are many classifications of spleen disease, but they can be conditionally divided into three groups.

1. Tumor diseases.

2. Splenomegaly and hypersplenism in cirrhosis of various etiologies. Splenomegaly is an enlargement of the spleen. Hypersplenism is a syndrome in which hematopoiesis is disturbed, a deficiency of blood cells appears. It often accompanies an enlarged spleen.

3. Non-neoplastic diseases – the spectrum is wide here. Congenital cysts, injuries, parasitic formations, circulatory disorders, spleen infarction.

Diseases of the spleen can be quite dangerous. The global complication of such pathologies is death. For example, in case of injuries, accidents, falls, when an organ rupture is possible with massive blood loss, when massive intra-abdominal bleeding occurs, which can lead to death. Therefore, in case of accidents, injuries, a thorough examination and diagnosis of the abdominal organs is mandatory to exclude tears. The spleen is a very delicate organ.

The second complication is a decrease in immunity. A person is subject to a large number of diseases, or the same disease constantly recurs. These are situations when the patient is treated, treated, and the disease reappears.

Life without an organ

If a person has a tear in the spleen, then most likely the organ will be removed. Or if we are talking about tumor diseases, severe thrombosis of the splenic and hepatic veins against the background of cirrhosis.

The spleen is not replaced. Despite the certain importance of the body, you can live without it, you can give birth to children. I had a patient who experienced an accident and removal of the spleen at the age of 5, and then lived a normal life, gave birth to two children.

The liver partially compensates for the absence of the spleen, so the liver does not need to be overloaded. It is very important to give up alcohol, eat healthy food. And to realize that if immunity is reduced, you need to seriously approach the treatment of the disease, vaccination.

Risk group

There is a certain group of people prone to the problem of pathological diseases of the organ. So, for example, there are congenital pathologies. In addition, do not forget about risk factors, including alcohol abuse, the development of liver cirrhosis, the use of illegal drugs, viral hepatitis with an outcome in cirrhosis, traumatic sports – boxing and others.

Methods of therapy

There are two main methods of treatment of various pathologies of the spleen: surgical and conservative.

If it is oncology, then most often it is a complex treatment: chemotherapy, radiation therapy, possibly removal of an organ. And a special high-protein diet.

If it is an abscess, then you need to take antibacterial drugs. You can choose the necessary drug only after analyzing for bacterial culture, which allows you to determine the sensitivity to antibiotics.