What is the effect of the spleen?

The article was consulted professionally with Master, Doctor Nguyen Thai Binh - Gastroenterologist - General Surgery Department - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital.

The spleen is an organ located just below your left rib cage. There are many causes such as infections, liver disease, and some cancers that can cause an enlarged spleen, also known as hypersplenism. Hypersplenism often causes no symptoms and is only discovered accidentally during a routine check-up or due to another medical condition. Therefore, to treat hypersplenism, doctors need to focus on solving the disease that leads to this symptom of hypersplenism.

The spleen is part of the lymphatic system and acts as a defense network for the body to fight infections. White blood cells produced in the spleen destroy and remove bacteria, dead tissue, and foreign organisms when they enter the bloodstream. The spleen also maintains healthy blood cells such as platelets and red blood cells; Platelets help with blood clotting. The spleen filters the blood and removes abnormal blood cells from the blood.
The spleen is normally about the size of your fist and the doctor usually cannot feel the spleen during a manual abdominal exam. But some diseases can cause the spleen to swell and become many times its normal size. Because the spleen is involved in many functions in the body, when other organs are affected, the spleen will be affected.
Once the spleen is enlarged, it will affect each important function of this organ. Hypersplenism causes a decrease in platelets and red blood cells in the blood because when the spleen is enlarged, it filters out normal red blood cells, platelets as well as abnormal cells. Clogged red blood cells and platelets in the spleen eventually affect its own normal functioning.

Causes of hypersplenism can be infection, cirrhosis and other liver diseases, blood diseases with abnormal blood cells, lymphatic system problems or other diseases.
Here are some common causes of hypersplenism:
Infections
Viral infections, for example infectious mononucleosis (mononucleosis) caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Parasitic infections, such as toxoplasmosis. Bacterial infections, such as endocarditis. Cancer
Leukemia, a type of cancer in which white blood cells replace normal blood cells. Lymphoma is cancer of the lymphatic system. Other causes
Inflammatory diseases such as sarcoidosis also known as granulomatosis, lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis Injuries, such as injuries in contact sports. Cancer has spread to the spleen. A cyst, which is a fluid-filled sac, is not cancerous. A large abscess that contains pus is caused by a bacterial infection. Gaucher disease, amyloidosis or glycogen storage disease.

Anyone can get hypersplenism at any age, but certain groups are at higher risk, including:
Children and adults with infections, such as mononucleosis infection. People with Gaur's disease, Niemann-Pick disease, and certain other inherited metabolic disorders that affect the liver and spleen. People who live or travel to areas where malaria is endemic.

Dangerous complications of hypersplenism include:
Infection. Patients with hypersplenism lead to a decrease in the number of red blood cells, platelets and white blood cells in the blood, which are all barriers to protect the body when germs invade, so when the number of cells is reduced. In this case, the patient will be more susceptible to infections and more frequent. In addition, there are complications of anemia and easy bleeding. Spleen rupture. Even in good health, the spleen is by nature a dense, brittle organ that is susceptible to injury, especially in car accidents. The possibility of rupture is greater when the spleen is enlarged as in hypersplenism. A ruptured spleen can cause heavy bleeding into the abdominal cavity and be life-threatening. Once a patient has signs of hypersplenism, it is necessary to seek medical attention early to avoid the risk of life-threatening splenic rupture. Vinmec International General Hospital has good experts and the most modern equipment. Please contact us for the most timely advice, examination and treatment to avoid affecting your health.

Article reference source: webmd.com, medicinenet.com, mayoclinic.org