What is a shattered spleen?
A ruptured spleen (a fist-sized organ located in the left upper abdomen) occurs when the surface of this organ is injured, which can lead to internal bleeding. Symptoms include pain in the abdomen and nausea. A ruptured spleen is treated with surgery if the patient has lost a large amount of blood.
What is a splenic contusion?
A bruise (contusion) is a type of injury. It occurs when small blood vessels break open and leak blood into nearby tissues. The spleen is a small organ located in the upper left part of the belly (abdomen). It sits under the left ribs in front of the stomach.
Why is the spleen prone to trauma?
The most common cause of a ruptured spleen is blunt trauma to the abdomen, usually as the result of a road traffic collision. However, splenic rupture can occur due to sports injuries and physical assault. The spleen is the abdominal organ to which it is most likely an injury will occur during physical trauma.
How common is ruptured spleen?
Splenic rupture is a potentially life-threatening condition, often associated with chest or abdominal trauma. Spontaneous rupture is very rare and is usually reported as being secondary to underlying pathological conditions.
What foods to avoid if you have an enlarged spleen?
Additionally, limiting or cutting out the foods and drinks below can help protect against the development of diseases, including conditions linked to an enlarged spleen:
- Sugar-sweetened beverages: soda, milkshakes, iced tea, energy drinks.
- Fast food: french fries, burgers, pizzas, tacos, hot dogs, nuggets.
Can you live a long life without a spleen?
You can live without a spleen. But because the spleen plays a crucial role in the body’s ability to fight off bacteria, living without the organ makes you more likely to develop infections, especially dangerous ones such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae.
What foods irritate the spleen?
Think of the spleen as being powered by heat. Frozen food, icy drinks, cucumber, bitter or winter melon, lettuce and grapefruit deplete the spleen’s “fire”. Foods that are “damp” – such as dairy products, refined sugars and sweets – can also smother the digestive process.
Can you live with a damaged spleen?
Deaths caused by splenic rupture are possible and do still occur, even at the top trauma centers. You can live without a spleen. However, since the spleen plays a crucial role in the body’s ability to fight certain bacteria, living without the organ puts you at higher risk for life-threatening infections.
Can u live without a spleen?
The spleen is a fist-sized organ in the upper left side of your abdomen, next to your stomach and behind your left ribs. It’s an important part of your immune system, but you can survive without it. This is because the liver can take over many of the spleen’s functions.
Is spleen pain an emergency?
Sometimes if you lie down and raise your legs, you can feel the pain at the tip of your left shoulder. A ruptured spleen is a medical emergency, as it can cause life-threatening bleeding. Go straight to A&E if you think you have ruptured or damaged your spleen.
Does coffee irritate the spleen?
Coffee moves qi and blood and has a dispersing quality both ascending (stimulating the mind and lifting the spirit) and descending (purgative, diuretic and increased peristalsis). Its flavour is sweet and bitter and is therefore associated with the spleen and heart organs.
Is water good for spleen?
Drinking cold water hurts your spleen and stomach In traditional Chinese medicine, cold water and iced drinks weaken the spleen and stomach, interfering with their normal functions. The spleen is the major organ for the formation and circulation of “Qi” to distribute blood and nutrients throughout the human body.
What is the structure of the spleen in an adult?
Structure. In adults, the spleen is a purple organ that is about the size of a clenched fist. It’s covered in visceral peritoneum, a smooth membrane that’s composed of two layers of cells, which secrete fluid and serve a protective function. 1 There is, however, an opening in this membrane called the hilum of the spleen,
How does the red pulp of the spleen work?
In turn, the red pulp—composed of wide blood vessels called splenic sinusoids—works to filter blood and store elements that help repair injuries. 2 These tissues are separated by a marginal zone, a membrane border that also serves a filtering function.
Why is the spleen protected by the rib cage?
Because the spleen is protected by the rib cage, you can’t easily feel it unless it’s abnormally enlarged. The spleen plays multiple supporting roles in the body. It acts as a filter for blood as part of the immune system. Old red blood cells are recycled in the spleen, and platelets and white blood cells are stored there.
Which is the forward facing surface of the spleen?
As such, the spleen’s forward- and rear-facing surfaces are defined by what they face, with the lateral of diaphragmatic surface fitting into the space as it abuts the diaphragm.