What is an enlarged spleen?
The enlarged spleen, also known as splenomegaly , occurs when the size of an unknown reason is increasing to the spleen, an organ placed on the left side of the body just below Ribra. Sleen is usually the size of a fist, but some infections, anemia or even blood cancer can cause it to increase to double or triple its healthy matter. This enlargement of the spleen is not really a disease or infection in itself, but is a symptom of a major problem in the system. If there are symptoms, they may include pain on the left side and extending to the left shoulder or feeling full of amount after meals only after meals. This second symptom is caused by an excessive organ pushing the stomach and limiting its storage space. The enlarged spleen can be detected by doctors during a physical examination when it hits this area of the body. X -ray and blood tests will be to confirm this diagnosis.
Although this is not the root cause of the problem, the enlarged spleen may pose health risks. One of the main functions of the spleen is to filter out old or damaged blood cells, but as it grows too large, it also begins to filter new and healthy blood cells. This sets the recurring cycle in which the spleen grows, the more red blood cells filter, and continues to filter more blood cells as it increases. Also, the spleen can begin to consume platelets that are necessary for blood clotting. If the problem is severe, the patient could be in real risk of bleeding from a small wound.
enlarged spleen can be caused by viruses such as mononucleosis; leukemia and other blood cancer; And bacterial infections such as syphilis, among other things. Even a healthy spleen is a soft organ that is susceptible to serious damage if it is traumatized. If you can cause massive bleeding in the abdominal cavity, which can be fatal.
Treatment for enlarged spleen is aimingENO more to the root cause than the spleen itself. If the cause of the problem cannot be managed or the disease is repeated, doctors can recommend splenectomy , the removal of the spleen. However, this will lead to a much more susceptible person to infections, because the spleen produces and maintains white blood cells that are essential for the fight for the disease. Another option for some patients is the use of radiation to reduce the spleen; However, the long -term effect of radiation on the body is not entirely known.