Management of the wandering spleen

Volvulus of a wandering enlarged pelvic spleen involving pancreatic tail: A case report

Splenic volvulus of wandering spleen is a rare clinical condition. It causes significant morbidity and mortality, especially if undetected. Here, we report a case of 32-year-old female who presented with worsening abdominal pain for 1-week duration. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan of the abdomen showed splenic volvulus with infarction and involvement of the pancreatic tail. She underwent exploratory laparotomy and splenectomy with preservation of the pancreatic tail. Patient progressed favourably. Our case report describes a rare clinical entity of a splenic volvulus with a twisted pancreatic tail. This is a life-threatening condition that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment.

Wandering spleen torsion with portal vein thrombosis: A case report

BACKGROUND

Wandering spleen is rare clinically. It is characterized by displacement of the spleen in the abdominal and pelvic cavities and can have congenital or acquired causes. Wandering spleen involves serious complications, such as spleen torsion. The clinical symptoms range from asymptomatic abdominal mass to acute abdominal pain. Surgery is required after diagnosis. Cases of wandering spleen torsion with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) are rare. There is no report on how to eliminate PVT in such cases.

CASE SUMMARY

Ultrasound and computed tomography revealed a diagnosis of wandering spleen torsion with PVT in a 31-year-old woman with a history of childbirth 16 mo previously who received emergency treatment for upper abdominal pain. She recovered well after splenectomy and portal vein thrombectomy combined with continuous anticoagulation, and the PVT disappeared.

CONCLUSION

Rare and nonspecific conditions, such as wandering splenic torsion with PVT, must be diagnosed and treated early. Patients with complete splenic infarction require splenectomy. Anticoagulation therapy and individualized management for PVT is feasible.

A wandering spleen with 720° torsion and persistent ascending and descending mesocolon in a 5-year-old Syrian male: A case report

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

The spleen is normally found in the left hypochondrium and it is fixed in its place by numerous suspensory ligaments. When the ligaments are elongated or abnormally developed, it causes a rare medical condition called Wandering spleen. A persistent ascending and descending mesocolon is also a congenital anomaly, resulting from the failure of fusion of the primitive dorsal mesocolon.

CASE PRESENTATION

Herein, a 5-year-old male child with sudden and acute onset of abdominal pain, constipation, nausea, tachycardia, and low urine output, imaging and blood tests revealed evidence of intestinal obstruction and normocytic anemia and neutrophilia. A laparotomy revealed persistent ascending and descending mesocolon, with a torsioned vascular pedicle of the spleen, resulting in splenomegaly and infarction. The surgeon successfully derotated the torsioned pedicle and performed a splenectomy. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged without complications.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

This case could be asymptomatic and the diagnosis is incidental or it could be presented with ambiguous symptoms. The differential diagnosis of WS varies according to the clinical presentation and the associated complication. For instance, in the case of WS torsion and acute presentation, the differential diagnosis is ovarian torsion, acute appendicitis, and intestinal obstruction. Currently, surgery is the only suggested treatment option even in asymptomatic patients as well.

CONCLUSION

This case of a Wandering Spleen is associated with a persistent ascending and descending mesocolon, suggesting that there may be certain risk factors. Therefore, we suggest making more research about wandering spleen in association with persistent mesocolon.

Wandering Spleen with Splenic Torsion: Unusual Cause of Acute Abdomen

INTRODUCTION

Wandering spleen is a rare condition characterised by laxity or lack of splenic ligaments as a result of acquired or congenital causes. There is a possibility of misdiagnosis due to its vague symptoms. In order to make a proper diagnosis, imaging techniques including abdominal ultrasonography and CT scanning are essential. Surgery is the main option of management. If the spleen is viable and there is no thrombosis in the splenic veins, splenopexy is the preferred surgical procedure. Alternatively, splenectomy plus prophylactic antibiotic and vaccination usage may be employed if spleen has infarction.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 12-year-old male child who had previously experienced constipation, mucoid diarrhoea, and abdominal distention arrived with crampy abdominal pain that had lasted for four days. The patient was tachycardic with abdominal tenderness. Whirlpool sign and lack of a spleen in its normal position were visualized on an abdominal ultrasound. The spleen was located intraoperatively in the lower abdomen, adhered to the ileum and appendix. It was 720° twisted and had necrotic areas. The patient underwent an appendectomy with splenectomy with a smooth post-operative course; combination meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccines were administered; and antibiotic prophylaxis was started for the patient.

CONCLUSION

High clinical suspicion and the use of imaging modalities like ultrasound and CT scan are extremely crucial to diagnose wandering spleen and perform splenic salvage surgery because its clinical diagnosis is challenging.

Patients with gastric volvulus recurrence have high incidence of wandering spleen requiring laparoscopic gastropexy and splenopexy

PURPOSE

Though gastric volvulus in neonates and infants resolves by conservative therapy and aging, some cases require surgical intervention. This study aimed to review the cases of gastric volvulus requiring surgical intervention and evaluate their characteristics.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed gastric volvulus cases requiring surgical intervention. Surgical indication was persistent acute gastric volvulus and repeated hospitalization for gastric volvulus. We evaluated the characteristics of those cases requiring surgical intervention and the surgical results of laparoscopic gastropexy.

RESULTS

The median age of patients included was 4 years (range: 1-6 years). All eight cases of gastric volvulus requiring sugery had congenital spleen diseases. Six of the eight cases suffered from a wandering spleen, while two cases presented with situs inversus with asplenia. Both splenopexy (preperitoneal distension balloon [PDB] or blunt separaion methods) and gastropexy were performed in cases with wandering spleen. No postoperative complications were reported in any of the eight cases, except the recurrence of gastric volvulus due to suture shedding in one case.

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic gastropexy for gastric volvulus and splenopexy for cases concomitant with wandering spleen were found to be effective surgical approaches. Both PDB and blunt separation methods for making extraperitoneal pockets for the spleen were employed successfully.

Surgical Approach of Wandering Spleen in Infants and Children: A Systematic Review

Introduction: Splenopexy has been proposed as the treatment of choice in case of wandering spleen (WS). We report our experience and review the current literature focusing on surgical management and outcomes of children affected by WS. Materials and Methods: Data regarding demographics, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of children treated for WS at our Institution were analyzed. Systematic review was registered on Prospero (CRD42018089971). Scientific databases were searched using defined keywords. Articles were selected using predefined exclusion and inclusion criteria. Analysis was conducted adding our center's cases. Results: One hundred sixty-six articles were included in the review, 197 cases were analyzed, 3 of which unpublished. Female/male ratio was 1.5:1 and median age at diagnosis was 8 years. Most frequent clinical manifestation was isolated abdominal pain (42.6%). Torsion of splenic pedicle was diagnosed in 56.3%. Among surgical procedures, 39% underwent splenopexy and 54.8% underwent splenectomy. In case of splenopexy, the most commonly used techniques were using of a mesh (45.5%) or creation of a retroperitoneal pouch (30.9%). In 48.2% of splenopexies, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) was used. Splenopexy was effective in 94.8% (88% considering only cases with a spleen torsion). Conclusion: WS is a rare condition potentially leading to torsion of the spleen. This entity has to be kept in mind as a differential diagnosis in case of abdominal pain. Splenopexy should be the treatment of choice; its success rate in terms of preserved spleens can be affected by the presence of a torted organ. Retroperitoneal pouch or mesh fixation are the most preferred techniques. Authors recommend MIS approach.

[A case report of wandering spleen]

INTRODUCTION

Wandering spleen is a rare condition that occurs when there is an acquired or congenital hypelaxity of the suspensory ligaments of the spleen, resulting in its migration to any abdominal or pelvic position.

CASE REPORT

A 43-year-old woman presented with symptoms of acute abdominal pain. At physical examination, a splenomegaly was found in the left hypochondria, thereafter followed by a secondary migration of the lump to a periumbilical location. Computed tomography revealed a wandering spleen with vascular pedicle torsion. Splenopexia was perfomed.

CONCLUSION

A wandering spleen is most frequently observed in children and young women. This rare diagnosis should be considered facing a recurrent abdominal pain syndrome, a splenomegaly accompanied with pain, or a pelvic lump. A wandering spleen may lead to torsion of the vascular pedicle of the spleen, a chronic volvulus with portal hypertension, or even a splenic infarction. The diagnosis is performed by computed tomography. Wandering spleen is treated surgically, by splenopexy or splenectomy.

Wandering Spleen Volvulus: A Case Report and Literature Review of This Diagnostic Challenge

BACKGROUND Wandering spleen is a rare condition in which the spleen lacks the usual peritoneal attachments, resulting in increased intra-abdominal mobility. Complications can occur due to the torsion of the splenic vascular pedicle, resulting in symptoms ranging from an incidental finding to an acute abdomen as a result of an ischemic necrosis of the spleen. CASE REPORT We present the case of a 25-year-old female patient who presented with a recurring abdominal pain associated with serum lipase and C-reactive protein elevation. The computed tomography scan revealed torsion of the splenic pedicle and hypoperfusion of the spleen. A surgical exploration was performed and a wandering spleen was diagnosed perioperatively. It was characterized by the lack of peritoneal ligaments, thus resulting in a splenic volvulus. A splenectomy was carried out due to the definite ischemic necrosis of the spleen. CONCLUSIONS The diagnosis of this rare condition can be very challenging since it can be presented with a vast variety of symptoms, mimicking other abdominal pathologies. The intermittent nature of an ultimate splenic torsion can add to the diagnostic challenge. Medical literature concerning the wandering spleen and knowledge about this pathology originates mainly from individual case reports. Despite the evolving diagnostic modalities available, this rare and ambiguous disorder remains misdiagnosed, and a high index of suspicion is needed for the appropriate diagnosis to be established.

Torsion of Wandering Spleen: Importance of Splenic Density and Liver-to- Spleen Attenuation Ratio on CT

BACKGROUND

Wandering spleen (WS) is a rare clinical condition which may cause fatal complication like torsion with subsequent infarction. Determination of splenic parenchyma viability is very important in deciding whether splenopexy rather than splenectomy is an option. Contrast- enhanced computed tomography (CECT) is important for the diagnosis of WS and assessment of the viability of spleen.

DISCUSSION

We reviewed the CT studies of four cases with WS. We measured the mean splenic and liver density and calculated liver-to-spleen attenuation ratio (LSAR). We also assessed the CT findings for each patient. Mean splenic density was measured as 40.77 Hounsfield Unit (HU) in cases with infarction, 127.1 HU in case without infarction. LSAR was calculated as 2.55 in cases with infarction, 0.99 in case without infarction. We detected whirlpool sign, intraperitoneal free fluid, splenic arterial enhancement in all patient, parenchymal and splenic vein enhancement in one patient without infarction, fat rim sign in three patients with infarction, capsular rim sign in one patient with infarction.

CONCLUSION

CECT should be obtained for the diagnosis of WS and assessment of the viability of spleen. CECT could suggest the diagnosis of infarction of the spleen with following findings; absence of parenchymal enhancement, very low density of spleen (<45 HU), and LSAR which is greater than 2.

Torsion of wandering spleen involving the pancreatic tail

Background

Wandering spleen (WS) is a rare clinical entity resulting from the absence or maldevelopment of the ligaments normally involved in the attachment of the spleen in its normal position. WS can be a cause of acute abdomen leading to different complications ranging from torsion of the vascular pedicle to spleen infarction. Often, in absence of symptoms, it is an occasional finding during radiological exams and surgery represents the gold standard in the management of this unusual condition.

Case presentation

We present a case of wandering spleen in a young nulliparous female with an history of recurrent abdominal pain. A preoperative CT-scan of the abdomen showed the presence of a multi-infarcted spleen twisted several times around its vascular pedicle, involving the tail of pancreas. The patient was electively treated with laparoscopic splenectomy.

Conclusions

A laparoscopic approach is feasible in the treatment of this pathology. A correct and timely diagnosis of this condition is crucial to allow an organ preserving surgery. There are only few reported cases in literature describing an involvement of the tail of the pancreas in the torsion of the vascular pedicle. Complete excision of the ectasic veins tributaries of the splenic vein avoids the risk of postoperative vein thrombosis and bleeding.

Laparoscopic splenectomy for a simultaneous wandering spleen along with an ectopic accessory spleen. Case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Wandering spleen and accessory spleen are uncommon entity occurring during embryonic development. Wandering spleen results in an excessive mobility and migration of the spleen from its normal position in the left hypochondrium while accessory spleen is characterized by ectopic splenic masses or tissue disjointed from the main body of spleen. Due to the nonspecific and multiple symptoms the clinical diagnosis of both conditions is uncertain even with imaging techniques, such as CT and MRI. The coexistence of both diseases (wandering spleen ad accessory spleen) is uncommon.

CASE REPORT

A 17-year old European female with a history of minor beta thalassemia and recurrent attacks of abdominal pain. Pre- operative management consisted of routine laboratory tests, ultrasound, CT scan. An ectopic spleen along with an accessory spleen were diagnosed. After a multidisciplinary board a laparoscopic splenectomy was performed. Post-operative recovery was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on the 6th post-operative day with the indication to continue the therapy with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) for 30 days CONCLUSIONS: This case represents a simultaneous condition of wandering splenomegaly along with an ectopic wandering spleen. The coexistence of these two rare conditions is peculiar such as the age of the patient, as literature reports such diseases to affect children or more commonly people in the range of 20-40 years of age. Laparoscopic treatment for this particular condition is also unusual.

Wandering spleen with chronic torsion in a patient with thalassaemia

Wandering spleen or splenoptosis is an uncommon entity and often an asymptomatic finding of acute abdomen in the emergency department. A high index of suspicion for splenic torsion is required, particularly in patients with known splenomegaly, as this condition could potentially lead to splenic infarction. Recognition of this condition can help avoid potential confusion with acute abdomen of other aetiologies. Herein, we present a unique case of wandering spleen with chronic torsion, which, to the best of our knowledge, has never been described in an elderly patient with haemoglobin H thalassaemia. We also review the literature for the aetiology and pathogenesis of wandering spleen, and discuss the relevant diagnostic modalities and treatment options.

Ectopic spleen: An easily identifiable but commonly undiagnosed entity until manifestation of complications

INTRODUCTION

Ectopic spleen is an uncommon clinical entity as splenectomy for treatment of ectopic spleens accounts for less than 0.25% of splenectomies. The most common age of presentation is childhood especially under 1 year of age followed by the third decade of life.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

The present report refers to a patient with torsion of a pelvic spleen treated with splenectomy. The patient exhibited a period of vague intermittent lower abdominal pain lasted 65 days followed by a period of constant left lower quadrant pain of increasing severity lasted 6 days. On the first 65 days, vague pain was attributed to progressive torsion of the spleen which resulted in venous congestion. On the last 6 days, exacerbation of pain was attributed to irreducible torsion, infraction of the arterial supply, acute ischemia, strangulation and rupture of the gangrenous spleen. Diagnosis was made by CT which revealed absence of the spleen in its normal position, a homogeneous pelvic mass with no contrast enhancement, free blood in the peritoneal cavity, and confirmed by laparotomy.

DISCUSSION

Clinical manifestations of ectopic spleen vary from asymptomatic to abdominal emergency. Symptoms are most commonly attributed to complications related to torsion. Operative management, including splenopexy or splenectomy, is the treatment of choice in uncomplicated and complicated cases because conservative treatment of an asymptomatic ectopic spleen is associated with a complication rate of 65%.

CONCLUSION

Although an ectopic spleen can be easily identified on clinical examination, it is commonly misdiagnosed until the manifestation of complications in adulthood.

A torted wandering spleen: a case report

Introduction

A torted wandering spleen is a rare clinical occurrence with fewer than 500 cases reported and an incidence of less than 0.2%. It is brought about through laxity of the gastrosplenic and splenorenal ligaments; however, the precise aetiology remains unknown. It can prove to be a diagnostic challenge with high mortality if misdiagnosed.

Case presentation

We present the case of a 27-year-old woman of Arabic ethnicity, who complained of a short history of severe abdominal pain with the background of recurrent abdominal pain and vomiting. An abdominal computerized tomography scan revealed a torted wandering spleen. This required a splenectomy due to splenic infarction.

Conclusion

This report highlights the investigations and management necessary for a patient who presents with an ischaemic torted wandering spleen.

Non-operative management of a rare diagnosis of splenic torsion in a child with a history of giant omphalocele: a case report and literature review

BACKGROUND

Splenic torsion is rare and as a result the appropriate management is unclear. While there has been a shift towards splenectomy and laparoscopic splenopexy, we present a successful case of non-operative management of splenic torsion in a patient with a history of a giant omphalocele.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 3 year-old female presented with a three-day history of abdominal pain, fever and non-bloody emesis three and a half years after repair of her giant omphalocele. Abdominal radiographs and ultrasound demonstrated migration of the spleen and a subsequent computerized tomography scan confirmed splenic torsion and an infarcted spleen. Given her late presentation, she was successfully managed with observation, analgesia, immunization against capsulated organisms and daily penicillin prophylaxis with excellent outcome at 19 months follow-up. A review of the literature revealed that splenic torsion is rarely managed non-operatively. Rarer still is the occurrence of splenic torsion following a history of omphalocele.

CONCLUSION

Although rare, splenic torsion should be considered in a child with a history of omphalocele presenting with abdominal pain. Non-operative management of an infarcted spleen can be a safe treatment option to avoid surgery in complex patients.

Acute abdomen due to torsion of the wandering spleen in a patient with Marfan Syndrome

Wandering spleen is a very rare defect characterized by the absence or weakness of one or more of the ligaments that hold the spleen in its normal position in the upper left abdomen. Patient symptomatology is variable and ranges from mere feeling of an abdominal lump to sudden abdominal pain due to infarction. Patients may have subacute to chronic abdominal or gastrointestinal complaints. Because of nonspecific symptoms, clinical diagnosis can be difficult; hence, imaging plays an important role. A major complication is splenic torsion, which is the cause of acute abdomen. We present a case of acute abdominal pain due to torsion of wandering spleen in a patient with Marfan Syndrome, valvular heart disease, and vertebral anomalies. Preoperative diagnosis was made on the basis of ultrasonography and computed tomography, which was later confirmed on surgery, and treated successfully.

Splenic torsion after congenital diaphragmatic hernia repair: case report and review of the literature

Wandering spleen with torsion, a rare clinical diagnosis, was found to be the cause of chronic abdominal pain in an 11-year-old female with a history of congenital diaphragmatic hernia repaired at three days of age. Doppler ultrasound revealed patent vessels with splenomegaly, and computed tomography (CT) showed an absence of the spleen in the left subphrenic space with torsion at the splenic hilum. Due to the chronicity of pain and risk of ischemia from torsion, open splenopexy with Vicryl mesh was performed. This case report/review of the literature discusses the rarity of this condition, and the importance of timely diagnosis and intervention.

Splenic torsion requiring splenectomy six years following laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication has become a mainstay in the surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease, as it has proved to be a durable, well-tolerated procedure. Despite the safety and efficacy associated with this procedure, surgeons performing this advanced laparoscopic surgery should be well versed in the potential intraoperative and postoperative complications.

METHODS

A case is presented of a rare complication of splenic torsion following laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. Diagnostic evaluations and intraoperative findings are discussed.

RESULTS

We present an otherwise healthy 41-year-old woman who underwent a laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication 6 years earlier at another medical center and presented with worsening chronic left upper quadrant abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with torsion of the splenic vascular pedicle, resulting in heterogenicity of perfusion with associated hematoma requiring open splenectomy.

CONCLUSION

Surgeons should be aware of splenic torsion as a potential, albeit rare, complication related to laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication.

Laparoscopic splenectomy for the treatment of wandering spleen in a pregnant woman: a case report

Laparoscopic splenectomy became the gold standard recently for the removal of spleen. One of its rare indication is wandering spleen (WS). WS is characterized by incomplete fixation of the spleen. Patients usually have an asymptomatic abdominal mass. When they are symptomatic, abdominal pain with a mobile mass is the major finding. Laboratory data are nonspecific, but the diagnosis can be confirmed by imaging studies; computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasonography are preferred modalities. It can predispose one to life-threatening complications such as splenic infarction, portal hypertension, pancretitis, and hemorrhage, due to torsion of its vascular pedicle. Herein, we present a female patient, a 24-year-old, 18-week primigravida. She was admitted with an intra-abdominal mass and lower abdominal pain. Ultrasonography revealed a mass behind the uterus. Magnetic resonance imaging was planned, and the spleen was seen at this area. We performed laparoscopic splenectomy for the treatment of a WS, which would be dangerous for pregnancy. The patient was discharged without any postoperative complication on the third day postoperatively. A healthy baby was delivered at term. Minimally invasive procedures should also be the primary choice in the treatment of such pregnant women. This is the first case of laparoscopic splenectomy in a pregnant woman for WS in the English literature.

Surgical Treatment of Patients with Wandering Spleen: Report of Six Cases with a review of the literature

Wandering spleen, which is defined as a spleen without peritoneal attachments, is a rare disease and a delay in the clinical and/or radiological diagnosis may lead to splenic torsion, infarction, and necrosis. Owing to the physiologic importance of the spleen, especially in children, and the risk of postsplenectomy sepsis, early diagnosis and splenopexy are recommended. In the present article, we describe the results of our management of this rare problem on six patients, and we review all available literature from 1895 to 2005. Briefly, our technique includes flap creation from parietal peritoneum and settlement of spleen in the fossa splenica. Free edges of this flap are stitched to the stomach and the left end of transverse colon and the beginning of the descending colon. The body of the stomach was stitched to the abdominal wall to prevent gastric volvulus, while the fundus region was fixed to the diaphragm to support the spleen. Finally, an omental patch was stitched to the intact abdominal wall above the flap. In conclusion, the procedure of splenopexy without using mesh is considered to be a safe and curative modality for wandering spleen without imposing any undue risk of infection or foreign material reaction.

[Wandering spleen associated to inflammatory pseudotumor]

Wandering spleen is an uncommon clinical entity accounting for less than 0.5% of all splenectomies performed. It can be an incidental finding in asymptomatic patients or it can be found in patients with acute or chronic clinical presentation due to compression (urinary retention, constipation), alterations in splenic function (thrombocytopenia or hypersplenism), or torsion of a vascular pedicle. Wandering spleen is diagnosed by imaging techniques, usually ultrasound, CT, or MRI. scintigraphy or arteriography can also be useful in cases with inconclusive findings. Although cases of wandering spleen associated to diverse masses (epidermoid cysts, simple cysts, cystic lymphangiomas, and lymphomas) have been reported in the literature, to our knowledge there are no reports of this entity associated to inflammatory pseudotumor. We present the case of a patient with wandering spleen associated to inflammatory pseudotumor.

Esplenectomía laparoscópica por torsión de un bazo ectópico (wandering spleen)

Wandering spleen is an uncommon entity, characterized by the anomalous position of the spleen, caused by the absence or laxity of its suspensory ligaments. The most common symptoms are usually due to intermittent or complete torsion of the splenic pedicle with subsequent infarction. We report a case of torsion of a wandering spleen. Laparoscopic splenectomy was performed and recovery was uneventful. Although few cases of wandering spleen treated laparoscopically have been reported in the literature, laparoscopy has been demonstrated to be a safe technique for the treatment of this entity.

Autoinfarcted wandering spleen and fatal pneumococcal sepsis in an infant

A wandering or ectopic spleen, a rare congenital condition caused by improper fixation of the ligamentous attachments, was identified during a postmortem examination of a 10-month-old female who had died of Streptococcus pneumoniae sepsis. The wandering spleen was autoinfarcted and adherent to the left hepatic lobe, with resultant functional hyposplenism.

Wandering spleen: a rare cause of abdominal pain

Torsion of a wandering spleen is a rare cause of abdominal pain in children. The most common presentation is acute abdominal pain, although signs and symptoms vary widely. Due to the risk of splenic infarction, rapid and accurate diagnosis is essential. Wandering spleen and splenic torsion can be diagnosed by Doppler ultrasound and CT scan. Treatment options include splenopexy or splenectomy. This case describes a 9-year-old girl with torsion of a wandering spleen, complicated by splenic infarction and managed by splenectomy.

Wandering spleen and its complications in children: a case series and review of the literature

Wandering spleen is an uncommon clinical entity, which rarely affects children and adolescents. It is usually described in adults, especially women of childbearing age. Discussion in the literature has been limited to case reports and small case series. Here the authors present 2 children and 1 adolescent that presented to the authors institution over a 9-month period with complications from a wandering spleen. All 3 patients had very different clinical presentations, and this variety is a constant theme throughout the literature. We also identified an additional 127 cases of wandering spleen in patients younger than 21 years. In this report we discuss the clinical presentations, diagnostic evaluation, treatment options, and clinical outcomes as they relate to wandering spleen.

Spontaneous rupture of a wandering spleen: case report and literature review

Wandering spleen is a rare clinical entity. The etiology is not precisely known, and the management is controversial. Patients may become symptomatic when torsion of the pedicle results in pain, ischemia, infarction, or rupture. We present a spontaneous rupture of a wandering spleen without any history of trauma.

[Torsion of the accessory spleen: an atypical etiology for acute abdomen]

The accessory spleen is often a incidental discovery. The accessory post-accidental spleen are unusual. The torsion of a movable spleen is possible and represent about 0.2 to 0.3% of splenectomy. But the torsion of an accessory spleen is exceptional. A case of acute torsion of an accessory spleen is reported. In a 26-year-old women was admitted with acute abdominal pain. The abdominal ultrasound and the abdominal X-Ray are no specific. In the face of the acute pain, a laparoscopy was necessary. At laparoscopy, the patient was found to have torsion and infarction of an accessory spleen in the pelvis. The treatment was a splenectomy and the evolution was favorable.

Laparoscopic splenopexy of a wandering spleen

A laparoscopic technique for splenopexy of a wandering spleen using an absorbable mesh in an adult woman is described for the first time. This patient was referred to surgery because of recurrent biliary colic secondary to cholecystolithiasis. The wandering spleen had been diagnosed at least 4 years earlier, but a conservative approach had been adopted for a symptomless patient. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed concomitantly with splenopexy. Laparoscopic splenopexy seems a feasible and safe procedure, especially when performed by experienced laparoscopic surgeons.

Management of a wandering spleen

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Wandering spleen in childhood: a report of three cases

Wandering spleen is a rare cause of abdominal pain in children, and an accurate diagnosis is seldom made preoperatively. A splenectomy is the treatment of choice in cases of splenic torsion and infarction, while in patients with chronic symptoms splenopexy may also be attempted. We herein report three patients with wandering spleen, of whom two presented with acute torsion of the splenic pedicle and one demonstrated an asymptomatic mobile abdominal mass. In the first case splenopexy was attempted, but during follow-up the spleen was found to have undergone atrophy. The presentation, diagnostic procedures, and treatment modalities in pediatric wandering spleen are reviewed.

Wandering spleen presenting as duodenal obstruction after repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia

The most common presentation of the wandering spleen in children is torsion with infarction. Duodenal obstruction by the spleen has not been reported previously. Wandering spleen can accompany congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) because of its loss of retroperitoneal fixation. If absence of normal splenic fixation is found during repair of CDH, splenopexy should be performed to eliminate the risk of torsion, infarction, or, as described here, duodenal obstruction.

Thrombocytopenia in association with a wandering spleen

An ectopic, so-called wandering spleen is an uncommon occurrence. We present the case of a young woman who presented with abdominal pain and was found to have an enlarged spleen, located in the lower abdomen and pelvis. The possibility of lymphoma was entertained because of concomitant findings of thrombocytopenia and a possible mesenteric mass. The mass was subsequently found at laparotomy to be the tail of the malpositioned pancreas, and the thrombocytopenia resolved with splenectomy. Review of the literature indicates that lymphoma is an uncommon finding in wandering spleens, that wandering spleens are enlarged in most cases, and that thrombocytopenia, while uncommon, can be seen, in particular when associated with torsion of an elongated splenic pedicle.

Traumatic rupture of a wandering spleen in a child: case report and literature review

A case of traumatic rupture of a wandering spleen in a 5-year-old girl is presented. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of such injury in a child. The splenic injury was managed nonoperatively. The etiology and management of wandering spleen is discussed.

A wandering spleen. Detection by In-111 leukocyte imaging

A wandering spleen is a rare condition characterized by splenic malposition due to congenital maldevelopment or laxity of the supporting ligamentous structures that usually fixate the anatomical position of the spleen. The diagnosis is often difficult to make clinically. In this report, a case is described in which an In-111 oxime labeled leukocyte scan was helpful in making a diagnosis of a wandering spleen.