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SPLENIC CONDITIONS
The spleen plays a crucial role in maintaining immune function and filtering the blood. It helps remove damaged red blood cells, stores platelets, and supports the body’s defense against infection. While spleen disorders are less common than other abdominal conditions, they can pose serious health challenges when they do occur—particularly after infections, trauma, or blood-related diseases. Timely diagnosis and treatment are vital to prevent complications such as internal bleeding, abscess formation, or sepsis. At Gut Instincts, we approach splenic conditions with precision—balancing organ preservation with patient safety through minimally invasive and evidence-based techniques.
Treatments Include:
Splenic Abscess or Cyst
Splenic abscesses are rare but potentially life-threatening infections that form within the spleen, often resulting from septicemia, infective endocarditis, or abdominal infections spreading through the bloodstream. Symptoms include fever, left upper abdominal pain, and malaise. Diagnosis is confirmed using ultrasound or CT imaging. Management usually involves broad-spectrum antibiotics and image-guided drainage, but if the abscess is large, multiloculated, or resistant to conservative measures, splenectomy (removal of the spleen) may be required.
Splenic cysts, on the other hand, can be congenital, post-traumatic, or parasitic (hydatid cysts). Most small, asymptomatic cysts are monitored, while larger or symptomatic ones may need laparoscopic cyst excision or partial splenectomy to preserve splenic tissue whenever possible.
Splenic Tumors (Benign/Malignant)
Tumors of the spleen are rare and can be either benign (like hemangiomas or hamartomas) or malignant (such as lymphomas, angiosarcomas, or metastatic lesions). Symptoms are often nonspecific—abdominal fullness, early satiety, or left-sided pain. Diagnosis requires imaging and, occasionally, biopsy or splenectomy for definitive evaluation.
Benign lesions that are small and asymptomatic may not require surgery. However, large, symptomatic, or suspicious masses are best managed through laparoscopic or open splenectomy. For malignant cases such as lymphoma, surgical management is often complemented by chemotherapy or targeted medical therapy, guided by histopathology and oncologic staging.
Splenic Trauma
The spleen is one of the most commonly injured organs in abdominal trauma, often resulting from road traffic accidents, falls, or sports injuries. The extent of injury can range from minor capsular tears to massive rupture and hemorrhage.
Diagnosis is made using FAST ultrasound or CT scanning. Non-operative management is preferred for stable patients with low-grade injuries, involving close observation, serial imaging, and blood transfusions if necessary. Surgical intervention—either partial or total splenectomy—is reserved for cases with ongoing bleeding or hemodynamic instability. Whenever feasible, spleen-preserving techniques are used to maintain immune function, especially in younger patients. Post-splenectomy patients receive vaccinations and prophylactic antibiotics to prevent overwhelming infections.
Splenic disorders, though uncommon, require meticulous evaluation and individualized care. Whether managing infections, cysts, tumors, or traumatic injuries, the priority remains organ preservation whenever possible and swift, decisive action when necessary. At Gut Instincts, the approach to splenic care is both cautious and compassionate—leveraging advanced imaging, minimally invasive techniques, and preventive care strategies to safeguard health and restore balance in every patient’s recovery journey.
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