Splenomegaly or Splenic Enlargement (and other reasons for Splenic Removal)
Splenomegaly
Splenomegaly is an abnormal enlargement of the spleen
click here for more infoSplenomegaly
The spleen is an organ that is a part of the lymph system. It filters the blood and maintains healthy red and white blood cells and platelets. Because of its wide variety of functions, the spleen may be affected by many conditions involving the blood or lymph system, and by infection, malignancies, liver disease, and parasites.
Symptoms of splenomegaly include:
- Inability to eat a large meal
- Pain on the upper left side of the abdomen
- Hiccups
Common Causes
- Infections
- Bacterial infections
- Cat scratch disease
- Infectious mononucleosis (EBV or CMV)
- Other viral infections
- Parasitic infections
- Diseases involving the liver
- Biliary atresia
- Cirrhosis (alcoholic cirrhosis, portal vein obstruction, portal hypertension)
- Cystic fibrosis
- Sclerosing cholangitis
- Hemolytic anemias
- Hemoglobinopathies
- Hemolytic anemia due to G6PD deficiency
- Idiopathic autoimmune hemolytic anemia
- Immune hemolytic anemia
- Thalassemia
- Cancer
- Hodgkin's disease
- Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Other causes
- Felty syndrome
- Sarcoidosis
- Sickle cell splenic crisis
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×Other Reasons for Splenectomy (spleen removal)
- Trauma
- Injury of the spleen during operations on other organs
- Hematological disorders (Blood diseases)
- Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
- Hereditary spherocytosis
- Idiopathic autoimmune hemolytic anemia Felty's syndrome
- Thalassemia
- Sarcoidosis
- Sickle cell disease
- Gaucher's disease
- Congenital and acquired hemolytic anemia
- Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
- Malignant (Cancerous) conditions
- Removal of splenic mass to determine if mass is malignant
- Hodgkin's lymphoma
- Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
- Hairy cell leukemia
- Lymphoproliferative disorders
- Miscellaneous Splenic artery aneurysm Splenic cysts Splenic abscesses