How Serious is a Lacerated Spleen?
A lacerated spleen is a condition that can be very serious indeed. The majority of spleen injuries occur because of a trauma, such as a car accident, a stabbing, or a football injury, to just name a few possibilities. A lacerated spleen needs immediate attention at a hospital emergency room or you could die.
Spleen removal
While in the past, removal of the spleen would have been the most common treatment for a lacerated spleen, today doctors are more apt to take a “wait and see” approach unless you are having life-threatening complications. For instance, if you have serious internal bleeding, your spleen may need to be removed to save your life. In other cases, you might be admitted to the hospital for a week or two to see if the spleen will heal, or if surgery to repair the laceration may be possible.
Until recently, most spleens were surgically removed--a procedure known as a splenectomy--because the role of the spleen was undervalued. The spleen was seen as an organ you could live without, so removal in an emergency was the first choice. Now, doctors have realized that the spleen has an important job to do just like other organs.
What does your spleen do?
The spleen filters the blood, taking out unwanted substances and dead red blood cells. There are also small nodules in the spleen which release lymphocytes which fight infections. In fact, people who have their spleens removed or who are born without spleens can get serious infections over and over again. The spleen is also a storage place for blood which can be used in emergencies. Platelets, which help blood to clot, are found in the spleen.
If you have a lacerated spleen, you may be losing a lot of blood into your abdomen. This could cause you to have faintness and dizziness and even eventually to lose consciousness. If you have an accident and start to feel dizzy and lightheaded, you need to see a doctor or go to your local hospital emergency room right away.
Diagnosis and treatment
You could be diagnosed with a CT scan or other types of imaging tests, or abdominal fluid can be tested for blood. If you are bleeding into your abdomen, you will most likely need blood transfusions whether or not the spleen is removed. Surgery for a lacerated spleen is usually done as a laparoscopy. A very small incision is made and then a tube with a tiny camera and light is inserted.
This type of surgery is much less invasive than an open abdominal procedure. The spleen is also removed in this manner if it should rupture. A ruptured spleen can be the result of infections, especially mononucleosis, liver disease and certain types of blood cancers.
Historically, there are several myths associated with the spleen. In Ancient Greece, the spleen was thought to secrete black bile. If this bile was produced in large quantities, it was said to produce melancholy, a condition that is similar to what is known as depression today. No one knew for sure what the function of the spleen was until the 1950s.
Any problem with your spleen should be taken care of immediately. If you have a lacerated spleen and need to have surgery to have your spleen removed, take comfort in the fact that it is one of the simpler surgeries to perform. Most people lead a very normal life without a spleen. One problem area is that you are likely to contract many more infections that a person who has never had his or her spleen removed. Keep this in mind and if you have a cold or similar infection and visit your doctor earlier rather than later.