Enlarged spleen. Causes

The spleen is the peripheral organ of the hematopoiesis, where cell proliferation and differentiation occurs. Its main functions include:

• hemopoiesis;
• immunogenesis;
• immune surveillance of cells and tissues of their own organism.

In addition, the spleen as a peripheral organ of hematopoiesis and immunogenesis performs the following functions:

• lymphocytopoiesis;
• disposal of antibodies of erythrocytes and damaged leukocytes.

In addition, the body is a kind of depotblood, is involved in its filtration. Based on the functional features, we can assume why the spleen is enlarged. In newborns, its size becomes larger on the second-third day after birth, which is the norm. This is completely physiological, in the future the growth of the body will decrease.

Operative treatment

An enlarged spleen can be detected atpalpation, but the most reliable is the information obtained as a result of ultrasound examination of the organ. Often the size of the organ is increased due to the formation of the cyst. In this case, further actions will depend on its size.

If the size of the cyst is less than 3 cm, thenthe child is registered and observed by a doctor. In another case, it must be deleted immediately. At the same time, splenectomy can also be performed - removal of the spleen. If before the indications for the operation had extended boundaries, and the body was cut out often enough, now the number of such cases has decreased. This is due primarily to the accumulation of information about the functions of the body, its importance in the work of the immune system, proper treatment, when the spleen in a child is enlarged.

Causes

The reasons can be different, but the main thing is infectious diseases. Often, the enlarged spleen is after such diseases as tuberculosis, syphilis, mononucleosis, typhoid fever.

The organ can change due to pathologies withthe side of the hematopoiesis system, the organs of the cardiovascular system, with liver diseases and circulatory disorders. Quite often, the enlarged spleen is one of the signs of hemolytic anemia. As already mentioned at the beginning of the article, one of the functions of the body is its participation in the disposal of old and damaged blood cells.
Accordingly, with hemolytic anemia, whenthe activation of the hemolysis process takes place, the number of dead cells increases, and the tissue itself changes, where their partial destruction occurs. Therefore, if the child has an enlarged spleen at the same time, and there are objective signs such as a decrease in the number of red blood cells, a decreased hemoglobin, and hyperbilirubinemia, then all this indicates a possible development of hemolytic anemia. In this case, removing the body is simply necessary to preserve the child's life. It should be remembered that after splenectomy the body is extremely susceptible to the action of infectious agents, in particular to the penetration of pneumococcal bacteria. Therefore, within 3-5 years, it is necessary to closely monitor the health of the child, carry out timely immunization and other measures to prevent the development of infectious processes.

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