A ruptured spleen refers tobleeding into the abdominal cavityfrom a torn or lacerated spleen.
Considering trauma is the fourth leading cause of death, that indicates a lot of ruptured spleens and livers.
This article discusses the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of a ruptured spleen.
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If you could see the spleen, it looks purple and squishy.
It’s considered a solid organ, meaning it’s not hollow like a bladder or a stomach.
Its consistency is more like a small version of the liver.
The other tissue is the white pulp, which produces antibodies and is connected to the lymphatic system.
What Happens if Your Spleen Ruptures?
As blood enters the abdominal cavity, it can lead to a symptom known as referred pain.
This is pain that you feel somewhere other than where the injury is located.
Since the spleen is so rich with blood flow, bleeding from a rupture can be significant.
What is the survival rate for a ruptured spleen?
What Causes a Ruptured Spleen?
Penetrating trauma is less common, but can also lead to a ruptured spleen.
In rare cases, a ruptured spleen can occur spontaneously without trauma.
The spleen can become inflamed and enlarged from infection, cancer, orother diseases.
Malaria is another infectious disease associated with a ruptured spleen.
Close monitoring, bed rest, and blood pressure control are used to give the spleen time to heal.
For patients who come to the hospital with stable blood pressure, non-surgical treatment is very successful.
Some hospitals may try interventional radiological treatment for ruptured spleens.
This is a relatively recent option and is not always available.
If the spleen is removed, aseries of vaccinationsmay be needed to boost immune function after surgery.
Pain and tenderness of the abdomen are typical early symptoms.
As blood enters the abdominal cavity, it can lead to referred pain or progress to hypovolemia or shock.
Getting an early diagnosis is important, regardless of whether the treatment will require surgery or not.
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