Wandering spleen in a postpartum female: a case report
Wandering spleen is a rare disease resulting from weakness or absence of the ligaments that hold the spleen in its normal position. The hormonal changes and physiologic splenomegaly that occur during pregnancy can induce ligamentous laxity of the spleen. Generally, wandering spleen is easily diagnos...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IMR Press
2020-12-01
|
| Series: | Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.imrpress.com/journal/CEOG/47/6/10.31083/j.ceog.2020.06.5498 |
| _version_ | 1811247822856519680 |
|---|---|
| author | S. Han S. Choi S. Nah G.W. Kim |
| author_facet | S. Han S. Choi S. Nah G.W. Kim |
| author_sort | S. Han |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Wandering spleen is a rare disease resulting from weakness or absence of the ligaments that hold the spleen in its normal position. The hormonal changes and physiologic splenomegaly that occur during pregnancy can induce ligamentous laxity of the spleen. Generally, wandering spleen is easily diagnosed because it is found in an abnormal position upon abdominal computed tomography (CT). However, wandering spleen in the left upper quadrant may be more challenging to diagnose. The treatment for wandering spleen is surgery with the goal of saving the spleen. Presented here is a case of a 34-year-old postpartum female who visited the emergency department of our hospital with severe epigastric pain. Abdominal CT revealed a whirl sign of the spleen located in the left upper quadrant without splenic infarction. She was discharged with the diagnosis of non-specific abdominal pain because her symptoms improved despite her abnormal CT findings. However, she returned to the hospital with abdominal pain after 1 week. Abdominal CT was performed and revealed splenic infarction. If diagnosis is delayed, the spleen cannot be spared due to the development of splenic infarction. Therefore, if the abdominal CT of postpartum women suggests wandering spleen (i.e., whirl sign), a surgical consultation is essential. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T15:16:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5985dc4824784c7ba6d918b8473eeb31 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0390-6663 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T15:16:16Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | IMR Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology |
| spelling | doaj.art-5985dc4824784c7ba6d918b8473eeb312022-12-22T03:27:37ZengIMR PressClinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology0390-66632020-12-0147697497710.31083/j.ceog.2020.06.5498S0390-6663(20)00390-5Wandering spleen in a postpartum female: a case reportS. Han0S. Choi1S. Nah2G.W. Kim3Department of Emergency Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Republic of KoreaWandering spleen is a rare disease resulting from weakness or absence of the ligaments that hold the spleen in its normal position. The hormonal changes and physiologic splenomegaly that occur during pregnancy can induce ligamentous laxity of the spleen. Generally, wandering spleen is easily diagnosed because it is found in an abnormal position upon abdominal computed tomography (CT). However, wandering spleen in the left upper quadrant may be more challenging to diagnose. The treatment for wandering spleen is surgery with the goal of saving the spleen. Presented here is a case of a 34-year-old postpartum female who visited the emergency department of our hospital with severe epigastric pain. Abdominal CT revealed a whirl sign of the spleen located in the left upper quadrant without splenic infarction. She was discharged with the diagnosis of non-specific abdominal pain because her symptoms improved despite her abnormal CT findings. However, she returned to the hospital with abdominal pain after 1 week. Abdominal CT was performed and revealed splenic infarction. If diagnosis is delayed, the spleen cannot be spared due to the development of splenic infarction. Therefore, if the abdominal CT of postpartum women suggests wandering spleen (i.e., whirl sign), a surgical consultation is essential.https://www.imrpress.com/journal/CEOG/47/6/10.31083/j.ceog.2020.06.5498postpartum periodpregnancysplenic infarctionwandering spleen |
| spellingShingle | S. Han S. Choi S. Nah G.W. Kim Wandering spleen in a postpartum female: a case report Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology postpartum period pregnancy splenic infarction wandering spleen |
| title | Wandering spleen in a postpartum female: a case report |
| title_full | Wandering spleen in a postpartum female: a case report |
| title_fullStr | Wandering spleen in a postpartum female: a case report |
| title_full_unstemmed | Wandering spleen in a postpartum female: a case report |
| title_short | Wandering spleen in a postpartum female: a case report |
| title_sort | wandering spleen in a postpartum female a case report |
| topic | postpartum period pregnancy splenic infarction wandering spleen |
| url | https://www.imrpress.com/journal/CEOG/47/6/10.31083/j.ceog.2020.06.5498 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shan wanderingspleeninapostpartumfemaleacasereport AT schoi wanderingspleeninapostpartumfemaleacasereport AT snah wanderingspleeninapostpartumfemaleacasereport AT gwkim wanderingspleeninapostpartumfemaleacasereport |