1 Sep 2009Case Report
Titolo??????
Antonio Biondi 1Salvatore Motta 2Michela Giunta 3Domenico Rapisarda 2Debora Fichera 2Carmelo Greca 2Roberto Ciuni 4Francesco Basile 5
Affiliations
Article Info
1 Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria “Vittorio Emanuele-Ferrarotto-S. Bambino” Catania
2 Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria “Vittorio Emanuele-Ferrarotto-S. Bambino” Catania; Ospedale Ferrarotto, Unità Operativa di Chirurgia
3 Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria “Vittorio Emanuele-Ferrarotto-S.Bambino Catania; Dipartimento di Chirurgia, Unità Operativa Clinica Chirurgica
4 Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria “Vittorio Emanuele-Ferrarotto-S. Bambino” Catania; Dipartimento di Chirurgia, Unità Operativa Clinica Chirurgica
5 Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria “Vittorio Emanuele-Ferrarotto-S. Bambino” Catania ; Dipartimento di Chirurgia, Unità Operativa Clinica Chirurgica
Ann. Ital. Chir., 2009, 80(5), 395-397;
Published: 1 Sep 2009
Copyright © 2009 Annali Italiani di Chirurgia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Abstract
A wandering or ectopic spleen is a rare condition in which the spleen is not located in the left upper quadrant but is found lower in the abdomen or in the pelvic region caused by improper fixation of the ligamentous attachments. Laxity of the peritoneal attachments of the spleen results in splenic hyper mobility, known as wandering spleen. Congenital and acquired causes have been advocated to explain its onset. However, the precise aetiology is not completely understood. Many patients with wandering spleen are asymptomatic and therefore, the real incidence is unknown. Symptomatic patients may have intermittent abdominal pain because of splenic congestion with intermittent torsion of the splenic pedicle and its spontaneous detorsion, or may present acutely with pedicle torsion with subsequent infarction. Pain and dangerous potential evolution recommend surgery, splenoplexy or splenectomy. The Authors report the case of a 48 years old man with painful abdominal mass suspected for wandering splenomegaly after diagnostic imaging (abdominal Ultrasonography and TC). Laparotomy evidenced a large spleen (DL 22 cm.) with a long (1 mt) and tortuous vascular pedicle, both removed. Histopathologic examination showed partial infarction of the spleen. The postoperative course was uneventful.
Keywords
- Splenomegaly
- Wandering spleen