Torsion of a wandering spleen

Splenic torsion, a challenging diagnosis in an adult presenting with acute abdomen

INTRODUCTION

Wandering spleen (WS) is a rare condition, occurring in only 0.2 % of cases, where the spleen becomes hypermobile due to the absence or laxity of its anchoring ligaments. Torsion of the spleen, primarily seen in children but occasionally in adults, is a critical complication that can lead to infarction and is considered a medical emergency.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION

We present a case report of a 50-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes and psychiatric illness presented with 2 days of vomiting, abdominal pain, and dehydration. Physical examination showed a tender mass in the abdomen and imaging confirmed a twisted spleen with a thrombosed splenic vein, leading to a successful emergency splenectomy. The patient had an uncomplicated recovery and was discharged with post-splenectomy protocol.

DISCUSSION

Splenic torsion, a rare occurrence primarily observed in children. Clinical diagnosis is aided by palpable abdominal masses and confirmed by radiological imaging. The gold standard diagnostic tool is contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT), whereas Ultrasonography (USG) is equally good in early assessment. Early identification is crucial to salvage the spleen. Management options include detorsion, splenopexy, or splenectomy depending on the organ viability. Elective splenopexy has emerged as a proactive measure, particularly in children, to prevent complications.

CONCLUSION

Splenic torsion is a rare but important differential diagnosis in patients presenting with acute abdomen. Early diagnosis and prompt management is necessary to preserve the spleen and to prevent the development of complication. Surgery is often necessary and either splenopexy or splenectomy should be done.

Gastric outlet obstruction secondary to a wandering spleen: systematic review and surgical management of a case

INTRODUCTION

A wandering spleen occurs when laxity or absence of the suspensory ligaments allows migration throughout the abdomen. Gastric outlet obstruction resulting from this abnormality is rare. We present a systematic literature search and a case that was managed successfully with surgical intervention at our centre.

METHODS

A systematic search of the PubMed, Embase™, Medline® and Google Scholar™ databases was carried out employing the combined search terms "gastric outlet obstruction" AND "wandering spleen". Six results were included for final analysis.

RESULTS

All six search results described a single case each. Patients underwent surgical management (open or laparoscopic) after initial investigation utilising a range of modalities. There were no mortalities reported at 90 days. The single case we present was complicated by gastric perforation; the patient made a successful recovery following open splenopexy and stapled wedge resection of the stomach.

CONCLUSIONS

A wandering spleen is a rare diagnosis and there are only six reported cases of gastric outlet obstruction secondary to a wandering spleen in the literature. None report associated gastric perforation. There are a variety of presenting symptoms, intraoperative findings and operative techniques used to address the gastrosplenic abnormality. The case reported by our centre adds to this limited evidence base and demonstrates a successful outcome from definitive surgical management. We highlight the need to seek early gastro-oesophageal expertise if any gastric pathology is found together with anatomical abnormality of the spleen.

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.

Wandering spleen with torsion: a rare cause of acute abdomen in a 14-year-old girl

Wandering spleen is a rare condition and defined as the spleen that is not in its normal anatomical position due to lack or laxity of suspensory ligaments. Etiological factors are congenital and acquired. Splenic torsion, infraction, and rupture are life-threatening complications of wandering spleen. A 14-year-old girl patient presented to the emergency department with severe pain abdomen for 2 days. On physical examination, a large palpable mass in the mid of the abdomen was found, and CECT confirmed it as torsion of wandering spleen. Emergency exploration is done and splenectomy was done due to non-viability of the spleen. The Post-op period was uneventful. Acute torsion of wandering spleen is an extremely rare clinical entity and patient present in an emergency with clinical features of acute abdomen. They may also present with chronic pain abdomen and abdominal mass. Early diagnosis is vital for the preservation of the spleen. Radiological studies have an important role in an accurate diagnosis. Surgery is the gold standard treatment of wandering spleen. Surgery for splenopexy or splenectomy depends on the condition of the spleen during surgery. Timely diagnosis and interventions are crucial to prevent life-threatening complications of wandering spleen.

Surgical Management of a Volvulus of a Wandering Spleen Associated with a Volvulus of the Small Intestine

Introduction

A wandering spleen is a rare anatomical condition characterized by a free-floating splenic tissue that is not located in its normal position in the left upper quadrant. This condition is usually asymptomatic but can also manifest itself with volvulus of the spleen and consequent infarction and necrosis of the parenchyma, requiring an urgent surgical management. Additionally, a wandering spleen can be associated with other contemporaneous anatomical anomalies. Case Presentation. We report a case of a 21-year-old woman, admitted to our hospital for intense abdominal pain and vomiting. A CT scan revealed a wandering spleen in the mesogastric area with the spleen torted on its axis, associated with a volvulus of the small intestine. Abdominal exploration revealed a macroscopically normal free-floating spleen attached to an abnormally long vascular pedicle. The management of the wandering spleen was conservative, and a splenopexy was performed.

Conclusions

The torsion of the wandering spleen constitutes an infrequent but life-threatening abdominal emergency. The diagnosis of the wandering spleen is frequently challenging since clinical findings are usually not specific. Imaging such as computed tomography scan plays an important role in the differential diagnosis pathway. Treatment should be planned according to the splenic parenchyma conditions. Splenectomy is indicated when massive infarction and thrombosis of splenic vessels have occurred. When splenic parenchyma is not compromised, it is preferred to perform a conservative surgical technique, such as splenopexy, in order to avoid postsplenectomy complications.

Wandering spleen with splenic torsion: Report of two cases

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Anatomical variation of the spleen’s position in the abdomen, is a rare condition called Wandering Spleen (WS).

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WS is a vital differential diagnosis in patients presenting with acute abdomen.

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Concerning the high incidence of splenic torsion in these patients, early recognition is important.

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We report two cases of this rare condition, prersenting with splenic torsion and abdminal pain.

Introduction and importance

Anatomical variation of the spleen’s position in the abdomen, is a rare condition called Wandering Spleen (WS). WS is a vital differential diagnosis in patients presenting with acute abdomen and diagnosis should be made promptly to prevent development of serious complications.

Case presentation

In this article, we report two cases of WS (27 and 20 years old females) presenting with abdominal pain due to splenic torsion. Both Patients underwent splenectomy and discharged with no further complications.

Clinical discussion

The presentation of a wandering spleen varies from an asymptomatic mass to an acute abdomen due to torsion and splenic infarction, therefore recognition of this condition can be challenging. Diagnosis depends on imaging studies, and treatment options consist of performing either splenectomy or splenopexy.

Conclusion

Concerning the high incidence of splenic torsion and infarction in WS patients, early recognition of this condition and initiation of apt intervention is of great significance.

Torsion of a Wandering Spleen Managed Conservatively: Rare and Interesting

Wandering spleen is a rare pathology. A 2-year-old child with abdominal pain was diagnosed to have a torted, avascular wandering spleen. On conservative management, she remains well with no radiological evidence of the spleen. Splenic torsion usually warrants surgery. Nonoperative management in selected cases allows the natural process of autosplenectomy.

Unusual pseudocyst in a wandering spleen

Pseudocysts of the spleen are rare, generally asymptomatic lesions developing secondary to trauma, infection or infarction. When symptomatic, they typically present as non-specific pain in the left hypochondrium, with or without a palpable lump on clinical examination. However, these conventions fail when they occur in a wandering spleen, making imaging critically important. This report describes an unusual case of a 50-year-old who presented with a large cystic mass in a pelvic spleen; imaging facilitated a successful splenectomy and subsequent histopathology revealed a pseudocyst in a wandering spleen.

Torsion of wandering spleen treated by laparoscopic splenopexy: A case report

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Wandering spleen.

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Laparoscopic splenopexy.

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Torsion of splenic pedicle.

Introduction

A wandering spleen is a mobile spleen as a result of deficient splenic peritoneal ligaments and elongation of its vascular pedicle. It is a rare entity affecting mainly young adults commonly females and children, presenting as an asymptomatic abdominal mass or abdominal discomfort due to torsion and de-torsion of the pedicle.

Presentation of case

We report a 35-year-old female presented with intermittent colicky abdominal pain that worsened in severity over three weeks. Diagnostic laparoscopy showed torsion of spleen without infarction. Detorsion and Splenopexy in an extra-peritoneal pouch was performed. Post operatively, the patient recovered well and was healthy at two months follow up.

Discussion

A wandering spleen is either congenital or acquired. The condition results in a long vascular pedicle, which predispose to the torsion resulting in a partial or complete infarct of the spleen. Laparoscopic approach is the preferred technique and de-torsion of the splenic pedicle and splenopexy is a reasonable surgical option, when there is no evidence of infarction of the spleen.

Conclusion

The diagnosis of wandering spleen is very rare and extremely difficult to establish and is clinically nonspecific. An early diagnosis and surgical care are required for preserving the spleen. Additional imaging examinations can help establish a diagnosis.

Torsion of Wandering Spleen with Infarction

Wandering spleen is a rare entity that results from the absence or maldevelopment of the ligaments that support the spleen in its normal location. As a result, the spleen is hypermobile and may be predisposed to hilar torsion and subsequent infarction, making it a potentially fatal abdominal emergency. We present a case of a 36-year-old Afghan female who presented with an acute abdomen, and was radiologically and surgically confirmed to have a wandering spleen with torsion and complete infarction. Knowledge of this condition and its radiological findings can play a crucial role in making a correct and timely diagnosis.

Wandering spleen with horseshoe kidney a rare occurrence

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Wandering spleen with horseshoe kidney is a rare occurrence with less than 3 cases reported worldwide.

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Delay in diagnosis would result is increased mortality.

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Splenopexy is preferred in children with the exception of grossly infarcted spleen.

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Splenectomy is the treatment of choice in torsion of spleen with infarct.

Introduction

Wandering spleen is a rare clinical entity in itself, with only 2 cases reported thus far when correlated with congenital under-development of the kidney, it usually happens due to under development of its surrounding ligaments. Herein we present a case of wandering spleen with underlying congenital deformity of horseshoe kidney which requires splenectomy due to late presentation.

Presentation of case

A 21 year old lady presented with worsening of chronic abdominal pain for 3 years, associated with nausea and vomiting. Physical examination showed a vague mass located at epigastric region. Consecutively, computed tomography images showed a well-defined, oval, hypoechoic spleen extending from center of abdomen up to epigastric region measuring 15.5 × 13 cm with twisted pedicle. Finally the patient underwent surgical treatment. The intraoperative findings were consistent with computed tomography images. The patient made a full recovery and was discharged well.

Discussion

Wandering Spleen was first described by Van Horne during autopsy back in 1667. Its location is maintained by peritoneal attachments such as lienorenal, splenocolic, splenophrenic, gastrosplenic and phrenicocolic ligaments. Among which, the gastrosplenic ligament and lienorenal ligaments are of greatest significance. Patient with a wandering spleen may present asymptomatic, with a movable mass in the abdomen, or with chronic or intermittent abdominal pain because of partial torsion and spontaneous de-torsion of the spleen as in our case. When feasible especially in young patients, splenopexy should always be the first consideration but however if gross infarct has occurred then splenectomy is inevitable to save the patient.

Conclusion

Wandering spleen is a unique surgical entity moreover when appeared in congruence with horseshoe kidney. Its diagnosis should be made in prompt to prevent splenic infarction and to try to salvage with splenopexy especially in younger population. However in patient where splenic torsion with infarction has occurred, splenectomy would be the treatment of choice.

Splenic torsion, a challenging diagnosis: Case report and review of literature

INTRODUCTION

Wandering spleen is an unusual condition characterized by hypermobility of the spleen. This is a rare clinical entity and it's more common in childhood under 1 year of age and in third decade of life. In this second peak, it's more frequent in females. Clinical manifestations can vary from asymptomatic to abdominal emergency. Treatment is often surgical.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

We presented a case report of splenic torsion from our hospital and a review of cases described in literature. This is a 40 year-old woman with complaints of upper abdominal pain associated with nausea and vomiting. A marked tenderness and a palpable abdominal mass on left hypochondrium were found as well as a slight increase in inflammatory parameters. A CT was performed and demonstrated findings compatible with splenic torsion. Surgery was performed doing laparoscopic splenectomy; Review of literature was made using the keyword combination: "wandering spleen". The research resulted in 451 articles.

DISCUSSION

The physical examination and CT are fundamental for diagnosis. Surgery was performed and laparoscopic splenectomy was made because infarcted spleen; about the review of literature, the majority of patients were female and the average age at the time of diagnosis was 25.2 years. 69.5% needed splenectomy and 78.6% of surgeries were laparotomic.

CONCLUSION

Splenic torsion is a rare but important differential diagnosis in patients presenting with acute abdomen. Diagnosis should be made promptly before development of life-threatening complications. Surgery is often necessary and splenopexy or splenectomy can be done.

Wandering Spleen: An Overview

An ectopic (or "wandering") spleen results from abnormal ligamentous laxity failing to fixate the spleen in its normal location in the left upper quadrant. Ligamentous laxity can be acquired due to conditions, such as splenomegaly or pregnancy, but is often congenital. Because of this laxity, there is an elongated vascular pedicle, which is prone to torsion and resultant splenic infarction. These patients generally present with abdominal pain and other nonspecific symptoms making the diagnosis very difficult to make clinically. As such, the radiologist plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and care of these patients, as often the diagnosis is only considered after imaging.

Ectopic Spleen Presenting as Lump Abdomen: A Rare Case Report and Review of Literature

Ectopic spleen is due to failure of fusion of the mesogastrium and the lining body wall epithelium, resulting in lax or absent supporting ligaments of spleen, making it abnormally mobile. This case presented as lump abdomen with history of recurrent attacks of abdominal pain. Clinical diagnosis was unidentified abdominal mass. The radiological imaging was suggestive of the diagnosis, and the exploration of abdomen has clinched the diagnosis.

Wandering Spleen- A diagnostic Challenge: Case Report and Review of Literature

Wandering spleen or hypermobile spleen results from the elongation or maldevelopment of the spleen's suspensory ligaments. It is a rare clinical entity that mainly affects children. Among adults, it is most commonly found in females of active reproductive age. It may present as an asymptomatic mass in the abdomen, or it may present with intermittent abdominal discomfort because of torsion and spontaneous detorsion of the spleen. We present the case of a 37-year-old female who had features of intestinal obstruction with mass per abdomen. Exploratory laparotomy showed an infarcted spleen. A total splenectomy was performed.

Wandering spleen: a potential abdominal catastrophe

Key Clinical Message

We describe the case of a wandering spleen complicated by volvulus and demonstrate the role of radiology and urgent intervention in managing this rare but potentially fatal condition.

Conservative treatment of splenic infarction and intestinal obstruction caused by a wandering spleen

The underdevelopment or absence of the splenic suspensary ligaments can lead to an uncommon condition termed the wandering spleen. It is usually asymptomatic but can present with an acute abdomen when associated with torsion. Most authors advocate surgical treatment. Herein, we report a case of torsion with infarction of the spleen and intestinal obstruction in a 36-year-old female patient which was successfully managed conservatively.

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.

The Case of the Wandering Spleen

Wandering spleen is a condition that describes the movement of the spleen to an ectopic location inside the abdomen/pelvis as a result of weakened peritoneal ligaments. Wandering spleens are rare, with a less than 0.2% incidence being reported. Diagnosing a wandering spleen can be challenging because of the wide range of findings and the oftentimes vagueness of the patient’s symptoms. The most common ectopic location of the spleen is the left mid-abdomen. The most frequent treatment for wandering spleen includes splenopexy or splenectomy, depending on the complications associated with the condition.

A wandering spleen presenting as a hypogastric mass: case report

Wandering spleen is a rare condition characterized by the absence or underdevelopment of one or all of the ligaments that hold the spleen in its normal position in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. It is an uncommon clinical entity that mainly affects children. Among adults it most frequently affects women of reproductive age, in whom acquired laxity of the splenic ligaments is usually the cause. Patients with a wandering spleen may be asymptomatic, present with a movable mass in the abdomen, or have chronic or intermittent abdominal pain because of partial torsion and spontaneous detorsion of the spleen. A 26-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with vomiting and abdominal pain. Abdominal examination revealed a large ovoid hypogastric mass. A CT scan showed a wandering spleen in the hypogastric region. Exploratory laparotomy revealed an ischemic spleen. A total splenectomy was performed.