Diseases of the spleen
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Primary diseases of the spleen are extremely rare, and even then mostly degenerative processes and cysts. But as a symptom splenomegaly occurs quite often and is a manifestation of many diseases. Diagnosis of splenomegaly currently does not present a problem: palpation + ultrasound, and the cause of it can sometimes be very difficult to identify. Primarily it is necessary to conduct a general blood test, blood biochemistry, serological tests.
According to Boudler (1983), all diseases of the spleen, which cause the development of splenomegaly, are divided into several groups:
- acute and chronic infections (viral infections, sepsis, syphilis, tuberculosis);
- stagnation in the portal vein system (mainly with portal blocks, pericarditis);
- inflammatory and granulomatous processes (serum sickness, berylliosis, etc.);
- hematological diseases (hemolytic anemia, etc.);
- tumors (leukemias, lymphosarcomas, cancers, melanomas, angiosarcomas);
- accumulation diseases (histiocytosis, Gauchers disease, etc.); other (lymphogranulomatosis, thyrotoxicosis, etc.).
The frequency of splenomegaly in 80% of cases is associated with hematological pathology, in 16% of cases - with liver pathology and only 4% falls on other systemic and congenital diseases of the spleen.
From the surgical conditions of the disease, spleen can be mainly a consequence of hepatobiliary pathology and diseases accompanied by the development of solarites and mesenterites, intoxication syndrome. In the first case, spleen diseases, as a rule, are stagnant and are a consequence of portal hypertension; in the second case - are of a reactive character. At primary treatment of the patient and revealing of the reasons of disease, it is necessary to exclude the named pathology and for the subsequent inspection to direct the patient to a hematologist.
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