- Where is and spleen anatomy
- Main functions of the spleen
- What can cause spleen pain and swelling
- Because it is possible to live without a spleen
The spleen is a small organ that is located in the upper left part of the abdomen and is very important for filtering blood and removing injured red blood cells, as well as producing and storing white cells for the immune system.
Over time, there are several diseases that can affect the spleen, making it larger, causing pain and changing blood test values. Some of these diseases include mononucleosis, spleen rupture or sickle cell anemia, for example. Know other causes of swollen spleen and how to treat.
Although important, this organ is not essential to life and, therefore, if necessary, it can be removed through surgery known as splenectomy.
Where is and spleen anatomy
The spleen is located in the upper left part of the abdominal region, just behind the stomach and under the diaphragm, measuring about 10 to 15 cm and being similar to a closed fist, which is protected by the ribs.
This organ is divided into two main parts, the red pulp and the white pulp, which have different functions and which are formed of spongy tissue.
Main functions of the spleen
There are several important functions performed by the spleen, including:
- Removal of damaged and "old" red blood cells: the spleen acts as a filter that detects red blood cells that are already old or that have been damaged over time, removing them so that younger ones can replace them; Production of red blood cells: the spleen can produce this type of blood cells when there is a problem with the bone marrow of long bones; Blood storage: the spleen can accumulate up to about 250 ml of blood, placing it back in the body whenever bleeding occurs, for example; Removal of viruses and bacteria: by filtering the blood, the spleen is able to identify invading microorganisms, such as viruses and bacteria, removing them before they cause any disease; Production of lymphocytes: these cells are part of white blood cells and help the immune system to fight infections.
These functions are done in the pulps of the spleen, with the red pulp responsible for the storage of blood and red blood cells, while the white pulp is responsible for the functions of the immune system, such as the production of lymphocytes.
What can cause spleen pain and swelling
Changes that cause an enlarged spleen or pain are usually caused by a viral infection in the body, such as mononucleosis, for example, which causes the spleen to produce more lymphocytes to fight the infection, inflaming the organ and leaving -the biggest.
However, liver disease, such as cirrhosis, blood disease, changes in the lymphatic organs or cancer, such as leukemia or lymphoma, can also cause changes in the spleen.
In addition to all this, severe pain can also indicate a case of rupture of the spleen that occurs mainly after accidents or severe blows to the belly. In this situation, you should immediately go to the hospital, as there may be an internal bleeding that is life-threatening. See what signs may indicate rupture of the spleen.
Because it is possible to live without a spleen
Although the spleen is a very important organ for the body, it can be removed by surgery whenever there is cancer or when a severe rupture occurs, for example.
After the spleen is removed, other organs in the body will adapt to produce the same functions. One example is the liver, which adapts to fight infections and filter red blood cells, for example.
Better understand how surgery to remove the spleen works.
