The most common causes are the following: Vehicular accidents; Bicycle accidents ; Injuries while playing sports such as hockey and football; Violence or torture; It can also be caused by an underlying disease, such as malaria, mononucleosis, lymphoma, and hemolytic anemia. Gastroenterology Research and Practice. Some emergency conditions involve immediate surgical repair. If sepsis is not treated then, it can lead to septic shock where the patient exhibits symptoms, such as tachycardia, severe hypotension and changes in mental status. Non-surgical management of a ruptured spleen is the primary option for treatment as long as the patient's blood pressure is stable and there is not severe bleeding. Some cases may be managed without surgery. The best treatment option for a spleen tumor is surgery. As the circulatory system struggles to get blood to important areas such as the brain, the patient can experience sweating, lightheadedness, fatigue, confusion, and eventually unconsciousness. In: Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. What to Expect on the Day of Your Exploratory Laparotomy. In: Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Surgery. Aast.org. Though some ruptured spleens require emergency surgery, some people with ruptured spleens can be treated with several days of hospital care. 2014;109(6):731-40. Hospitalization. Accessed April 12, 2019. Your doctor might recommend ways to reduce the risk of infection, such as vaccinations against pneumonia and influenza. Hospitalization and 24-hour care are often sufficient to treat minor or moderate damage to the spleen. Int J Surg Case Rep. 2016;26:163-5. Lemons contain citric acid that helps to treat spleen problems by removing dead cells and bacteria. Diagnostics. Send thanks to the doctor. Penetrating trauma is less common, but can also lead to a ruptured spleen. Medications for pain control, which could include narcotics or opiates. Spleen surgery is generally safe, but any surgery has risks, such as bleeding, blood clots, infection and pneumonia. By using Verywell Health, you accept our, Splenectomy: What to Expect on the Day of Surgery. The full spleen is removed through surgery. Malays J Med Sci. Some hospitals may try interventional radiological treatment for ruptured spleens. Bleeding From Esophageal Varices: Causes and More, Trauma Facts - The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, Spontaneous Splenic Rupture as a Rare Initial Presentation in an Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patient, Spontaneous splenic rupture resulted from infectious mononucleosis, Computed tomography of blunt spleen injury: a pictorial review, An update on nonoperative management of the spleen in adults, Blunt Splenic Trauma - The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, Spleen Injury - Injuries and Poisoning - MSD Manual Consumer Version, Spontaneous rupture of the spleen operated in gynecological unit mistaken for ruptured hemorrhagic ovarian cyst: total splenectomy, Pathological rupture of the normal spleen: Review with the literature. Wu M, Kao W, Chan C, Yiang G, Liao W, Chen C. Spontaneous Splenic Rupture as a Rare Initial Presentation in an Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patient. Previous: Management and Treatment Next: Outlook / Prognosis. Diagnosis of non-traumatic type of splenic rupture is difficult, as the symptoms of splenic rupture are similar to … Hospitalization is required for the spleen to heal. 2019;2019:1. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/5827694. causes abdominal pain, usually severe, but not always. Splenic implant assessment in trauma. 7th ed. The spleen can become swollen after an infection or injury. Whether the ruptured spleen is going to be treated with or without surgery, the earlier that decision can be made the better. Half of the spleen tissue is called the red pulp and is responsible for filtering out old and damaged red blood cells, and acts as a reservoir for platelets and red blood cells. Doctors monitor the patient’s condition and provide nonsurgical care, such as blood transfusions, if required. Int J Surg Case Rep. 2012;3(3):97-99. doi:10.1016/j.ijscr.2011.08.012. Ultrasound is an option but still cannot rule out a ruptured spleen adequately. Accessed April 12, 2019. Many small or moderate-sized injuries to the spleen can heal without surgery. If that does not help in spleen cure, a complete surgical removal is required. Symptoms include pain in the abdomen and nausea. 14th ed. If left untreated, bleeding from a ruptured spleen can very quickly lead to hypovolemia (when plasma portion of the blood is too low) and shock (a medical condition that decreases blood flow to the brain).. 3. Pathological rupture of the normal spleen: Review with the literature. What Medical Conditions Affect the Spleen? The spleen is located on the left-hand side of the body just beneath the rib cage. Splenic Rupture: In some cases, splenic infarction can cause rupture of the spleen and hemorrhage. Blood in the abdomen acts as an irritant and causes pain. Won A, Ethell A. Spontaneous splenic rupture resulted from infectious mononucleosis. Ⓒ 2021 About, Inc. (Dotdash) — All rights reserved, Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Your spleen, situated just under your rib cage on your left side, helps your body fight infection and filter old blood cells from your bloodstream.A forceful blow to your abdomen — during a sporting mishap, a fistfight or a car crash, for example — is the usual cause of a ruptured spleen. 0. Surgery for a ruptured spleen can include: Removing the spleen (splenectomy). Maung AA, et al. AskMayoExpert. doi:10.1136/tsaco-2017-000075. Risk of sepsis is highest in young children, especially the first two years after the spleen has been removed. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Patterson JW, Dominique E. Acute Abdomen. This condition involves damage to the spleen which causes the organ to start leaking blood, causing the abdomen to fill with blood. Dragomir M, et al. In the past, treatment for a spleen injury always meant removal of the entire organ, called a splenectomy. 2014 Nov-Dec;109(6):731-40. Treatment ranges from abdominal injury avoidance in the young healthy patient with splenomegaly due to infectious mononucleosis, to splenectomy of a massively enlarged spleen in a patient with Hairy cell leu… This can, in turn, lead to the patient feeling pain in their left shoulder. If you could see the spleen, it looks purple and squishy. If you have an enlarged spleen, a less forceful trauma might cause rupture. Causes of Collarbone Pain and Treatment Options, What Everyone Should Know About Traumatic Brain Injuries. Pan Afr Med J. A doctor will conduct splenectomy where the spleen is removed using a surgical procedure. 2011;18(1):60-7. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2018 Jan. Chiotoroiu AL, Venter DM, Negoi I, Vartosu C, Plotogea O, Paun S, Vartic M, Beuran M; -. 0 comment . This information can be very useful in helping medical professionals to come to an initial diagnosis. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. In the case of a ruptured spleen, the most common referred pain is felt in the left shoulder or left side of the chest wall. Trauma Surg Acute Care Open. All rights reserved. Make a donation. However, many moderate injuries and minor ruptures can be cured without operation. Sometimes, if the spleen was injured, it may heal with rest. Patients after splenectomy: Old risks and new perspectives. Initial evaluation and management of blunt abdominal trauma in adults. A ruptured spleen is a medical emergency, as it can cause life-threatening bleeding. The most important treatment for a ruptured spleen is an early diagnosis. 24 years experience General Surgery. In some cases, medical care in the hospital will improve, and in other cases, surgery may be needed immediately. Published 2014 Nov 26. It's considered a solid organ, meaning it's not hollow like a bladder or a stomach. Diagnosis and treatment of atraumatic splenic rupture: Experience of 8 cases. Treatment of ruptured spleen generally depends on the nature of the condition. The spleen has many blood vessels, so the surgeon finds the blood vessels leading to and from the spleen and places clips on them to permanently stop blood from flowing through to the spleen. Treatment for Ruptured Spleen. This content does not have an Arabic version. Other than the lack of a trauma history, the symptoms of a spontaneously ruptured spleen are similar to those caused by injury. It might be severe, but not always. The spleen is located in the upper left abdomen, so it’s not uncommon for an individual to feel pain here when they have a ruptured spleen. Patients with ruptured spleens tend to experience severe pain which causes them to seek medical treatment. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Management of splenic injury in the adult trauma patient. Splenic injury. There are two main types of treatment for a ruptured spleen: Surgical intervention and observation. Updated October 1, 2019. A rupture of the spleen will need surgery to remove it. Without emergency treatment, a ruptured spleen can cause life-threatening internal bleeding. Chirurgia. A ruptured spleen happens when the capsule covering the spleen surface breaks out, pouring blood out into the abdominal area. It can also become enlarged as a result of a health condition, such as cirrhosis, leukaemia or rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment of splenomegaly is targeted at treating the underlying disease and protecting the patient from complications of splenomegaly itself. In rare cases, a ruptured spleen can occur spontaneously without trauma. The spleen is also in the area, and a ruptured spleen might lead to these nerves becoming irritated. Lemons also provide nutrients to the spleen to speed up recovery. Of patients with traumatic injuries to multiple body systems, 10 to 12 percent have abdominal trauma. The liver and spleen are the two most commonly injured abdominal organs. [Updated 2018 Nov 14]. Liu J, et al. Partial splenectomy includes preserving of at least 1/4th of the tissue and also avoiding any chance of … If a partial splenectomy can be performed, it is optimal because the remaining portion can help your body fight against infections. Non-surgical management of a ruptured spleen is the primary option for treatment as long as the patient's blood pressure is stable and there is not severe bleeding. 3 months: It depends on how badly the spleen was damaged. Individuals who undergo a total splenectomy may need to take certain medications … This is usually the result of ignoring an enlarged spleen for too long. Hoffman R, et al. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. In: StatPearls [Internet]. The disease that is often associated with a non-traumatic ruptured spleen is mononucleosis, even though the incidence of a ruptured spleen occurs in an estimated .06 to .5 percent of all cases of mononucleosis.. Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit organization. It also helps to heal the damage done to the spleen while reducing inflammation and irritation. Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic. Its consistency is more like a small version of the liver. Obviously, a ruptured spleen caused by a traumatic injury cannot be prevented. [Updated 2018 Oct 27]. When the spleen experiences trauma, a serious condition called 'ruptured spleen' may occur. 2019;9(4):152. doi:10.3390/diagnostics9040152. The other tissue is the white pulp, which produces antibodies and is connected to the lymphatic system. Doherty GM, ed. 3 thanks. Spleen. Significant damage can lead to other conditions. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Since the spleen is so rich with blood flow, bleeding from a rupture can be significant. Spontaneous rupture of the spleen operated in gynecological unit mistaken for ruptured hemorrhagic ovarian cyst: total splenectomy. In some cases, if Red Blood Count (RBC) is too low, then the pet needs blood transfusion before or after surgery. For patients that come to the hospital with stable blood pressures, non-surgical treatment is very successful.. You’ll feel pain in your belly. If it's necessary to remove your spleen, you'll be at increased risk of serious infections, such as sepsis. Uptodate.com. At times, surgical procedures may be carried out to seal the rupture. If you are unsure, you should arrange an … Accessed April 16, 2019. 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