Can you tell me what the spleen is for? My brother was injured while playing a game of rugby over the holidays and he damaged his spleen.
The spleen is a soft, spongy organ about the size of a person's fist. It is located in the upper left portion of the abdomen just under the rib cage. It consists of two different types of tissue, white pulp and red pulp, which have two distinct functions.
White pulp produces white blood cells for the immune system, lymphocytes, which in turn produce antibodies that protect the body against invasion by foreign substances.
Red pulp, in addition to filtering the blood and removing harmful agents, contains white cells called phagocytes that ingest harmful viruses, bacteria and fungi. It also plays a role in monitoring red blood cells by destroying those that are old, damaged or not functioning properly. The red pulp also acts as a reservoir for white cells and platelets.
I've never heard of anyone having a ruptured spleen before. Is it very unusual?
Damage to the spleen often occurs as a result of a severe blow to the abdomen which ruptures the spleen, tearing its covering and the tissue inside. A ruptured spleen is the most common serious complication of an abdominal injury from beatings, road traffic accidents or sporting injuries.
When the spleen ruptures, large volumes of blood can leak into the abdomen and immediate surgery is required to repair the tear which, if left untreated, can be life-threatening. Sometimes the damage cannot be repaired and the entire organ has to be removed. This is known as a splenectomy.
What are the ongoing health implications of not having a spleen?
Although the spleen is an important organ in terms of the body's ability to fight infection, it is possible to live without it. Before and after a splenectomy certain precautions are required to prevent infections occurring.
Vaccines against a range of illnesses such as pneumococcus are given before the surgery and annual vaccinations against influenza are needed. If the person requiring a splenectomy has another condition such as cancer or a rare type of anaemia called sickle cell anaemia, then antibiotics will be required to guard against the development of a life-threatening infection.
Marion Kerr