A ruptured spleen can cause serious complications or death if not treated promptly. The spleen is a non-essential organ that helps filter blood and support the immune system. Traumatic events can cause the spleen to rupture, leading to severe pain and blood loss. Treatment may involve hospitalization and blood transfusions. It’s important to seek medical attention for persistent abdominal pain.
A ruptured spleen is a medical condition that can cause serious complications or death if not treated in a timely manner. This condition involves damage to the spleen that causes the organ to begin leaking blood, causing the abdomen to fill with blood. Patients with a ruptured spleen tend to experience severe pain which causes them to seek medical attention.
The spleen is located in the left upper abdomen. This non-essential organ helps the body filter blood, supporting the immune system and making certain types of blood cells. The organ is actually hidden under the rib cage to protect it from damage, but serious traumatic events such as car accidents, misplaced blows in fist fights, and sports injuries can cause the spleen to rupture. Some people are at increased risk of splenic rupture because their spleen has become enlarged due to infection, in which case their doctors may recommend avoiding strenuous activity until the swelling subsides.
When a patient experiences a splenic rupture, the spleen capsule ruptures, releasing blood that fills the organ. The body will continue to route blood to the spleen even if it is ruptured, causing blood to leak into the abdominal cavity. Patients usually experience severe pain in the abdomen, along with a feeling of fullness. Some may develop confusion, blurred vision, and lightheadedness due to blood loss. The abdomen may also appear bruised or feel tender.
Historically, a ruptured spleen was treated with surgery to remove the offending organ, followed by medications to support the body once the spleen was removed. Today, doctors prefer to use medical imaging studies to assess the severity of the damage and may choose to simply hospitalize a patient for several days and support the spleen’s healing, rather than removing it. Blood transfusions may also be needed if the patient has suffered significant blood loss due to a ruptured spleen.
Fortunately, splenic rupture usually causes such severe pain that patients seek treatment, ensuring the ruptured spleen is identified and promptly addressed. Other serious conditions like appendicitis can also cause extreme abdominal pain, making it important to see a doctor right away for persistent abdominal pain. Because surgery may be required, patients may want to go straight to the hospital, although a visit to an established doctor may allow patients to skip waiting in the emergency room and be admitted directly to the hospital by their doctors, assuming their doctors have to admit privileges in a hospital.
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