Can you do without this organ?
The spleen is located in the upper left corner of your abdomen. An organ that you normally do not feel, but that is very important for your immune system. What exactly does he do? And could you do without it?
The spleen is a purplish organ about the size of a fist: about 10 centimeters long and 150 to 200 grams in weight in healthy adults. It is located in the upper left part of the abdomen, near the stomach and diaphragm. Because it is protected by the rib cage, you normally do not feel the spleen.
Functions
The spleen plays a role in the lymphatic system and is part of the circulatory system. You need it for a good defense. The spleen produces antibodies against certain bacteria. In addition, it filters bacteria and old and infected blood cells from your blood. In addition, the spleen is a storage place for white blood cells and platelets.
enlarged spleen
Due to various conditions, the spleen can retain too many blood cells and platelets, causing it to swell. An enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) occurs in infectious diseases such as mononucleosis, hepatitis, tuberculosis and malaria. Anemia, various forms of blood cancer and other blood diseases can also be associated with spleen enlargement.
An enlarged spleen causes few symptoms. Your abdomen or back may hurt in the upper left. Because an enlarged spleen presses against the stomach, you may also feel full even though you have eaten little or nothing. A doctor can feel if the spleen is swollen on a physical exam, but sometimes an ultrasound, CT, or MRI scan is needed to determine the size of the spleen.
stab in the side
During exercise, such as running, you may feel a twinge in your side. Many athletes think that this pain has to do with the spleen and that is why they call it spleen stabbing. The spleen would bounce too much on the diaphragm, contract so that more blood goes to the muscles or be poorly perfused. Yet such a side stitch has nothing to do with the spleen.
adrenal glands
Most people have one spleen, but 15-30 percent have one or more extra spleens, so-called paraplegics. These are especially common in patients with a blood disorder. If their spleens have to be removed, all the spleen tissue is removed, including the epithelium. If the spleen can no longer be saved after an accident, they come in handy. The hives then take over the function of the spleen.
Removal of the spleen
It may be necessary to remove the spleen. That’s called a splenectomy. This happens, for example, if the spleen is ruptured in an accident. Because the spleen is such a well-perfused organ, you lose a lot of blood if it is damaged. A splenectomy is also sometimes necessary for certain blood disorders, diseases of the lymphatic system or if the spleen works too quickly.
You can live without a spleen, but if you no longer have a spleen or if your spleen is not functioning properly, you are at higher risk for serious infections. The risk is highest in the first two years after the splenectomy. After a spleen removal, you will therefore be advised to have yourself vaccinated against a number of bacteria, such as pneumococcus and meningococcus. In addition, an annual flu shot and an emergency supply of antibiotics in your medicine cabinet is recommended.
