Spleen Injury
Spleen Injury
Common names:
- Bruised Spleen
- Injured Spleen
- Ruptured Spleen
- Spleen Contusion
What is a spleen injury?
A person with a spleen injury has damage to the spleen. The spleen is a organ that is located in the left upper part of the abdomen. The spleen removes old red blood cells from the bloodstream and produces white blood cells, which fight infection. Because the spleen contains many blood vessels, significant bleeding can occur inside the spleen after an injury. The most common causes of severe spleen injury are motor vehicle accidents and sports injuries. Our experience at VGH also includes injuries due to horseback riding (falls) as well as skiing and snowboarding.
What are the symptoms of a spleen injury?
Symptoms of a spleen injury include nausea, vomiting, left upper abdominal pain, left shoulder pain, chest pain, back pain, difficulty breathing, or fainting. A bruise may be present over the left upper abdomen, left chest, or left lower back.
How does the doctor treat a spleen injury?
Treatment for a spleen injury may include bed rest, intravenous fluids, or narcotic pain medication. Treatment for a severe spleen injury may include surgery to repair the spleen or surgery to remove the spleen.
Spleen Injury Symptoms
- Left upper abdominal pain
- Abdominal bruise:
- Over the left upper abdomen
- Left chest pain
- Chest bruise:
- Over the left chest
- Back pain
- Back bruise:
- To the left of the spine in the lower back
- Difficulty breathing
- Left shoulder pain
- Faintness
- Fainting
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Spleen Injury Evaluation
The evaluation of a spleen injury begins with a history and physical exam.
Physical findings in someone with a spleen injury may include:
- Tenderness in the left upper abdomen
- Rapid heart rate
- Excessive sweating
- Low blood pressure
- Pale skin
- Chest bruise:
- Over the left chest
- Abdominal bruise:
- Over the left upper abdomen
- Back bruise:
- To the left of the spine in the lower back
Tests are necessary to make the diagnosis of a spleen injury.
Tests that may be used to evaluate a spleen injury include:
- Complete blood count
- CT scan of the abdomen
- Ultrasound of the abdomen
Spleen Injury Treatment
Treatment for a spleen injury may include:
- Bed rest
- Intravenous fluid
- Narcotic pain medication
- Surgery for a spleen injury:
- To repair the injured spleen
- Splenectomy:
- Surgery to remove the spleen
Spleen Injury Home Care
Home care for a spleen injury includes:
- Bedrest
- Decreased physical activity:
- As directed by your physician
Spleen Injury Home Care: Warning Signs
Notify your doctor if you have a spleen injury and any of the following:
- Worsening abdominal pain
- Worsening back pain
- Worsening chest pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Abdominal swelling
- Fainting
Spleen Injury Outlook
What to expect with a spleen injury:
- Most cases of spleen injury resolve without complications.
- Severe spleen injuries may require surgical removal of the spleen, called splenectomy.
- Those that have the spleen removed are more susceptible to infections. Therefore , after splenectomy vaccinations to certain bacteria are given. These vaccination include pneumococcus, hemophillus, and meningiococcus.
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