Inspection:
anaemia
arthritis
abd scar
ascites
palpation:
Lt upper quadrant mass
cannot get above
moves with respirtation, diagonally
splenic notch
non-ballotable
?hepatomegaly
lympnadenopathy
anatomy:
1 x 3 x 5 inches
7 oz
9-11th rib
causes:
benign
congestion – portal HT, cardiac failure
infection
malaria
parasites
inflammation
drug induced
rheumatoid (felty's)
cysts
haematomlogical
myelofibrosis
haemolytic anaemia – sickle cell, thalassemia
malignant
lymphoma
leukaemia
splenectomy indications
trauma - massive bleeding
hypersplenism
haemolytic anaemia
thrombocytopaenia
spherocytosis
myelofibrosis
splenectomy precautions
antibiotic prophlaxis – ampicillin (lifelong / all prodecures)
vaccination – pneumococcal, meningococcal, flu
spleen functions:
immune
IgM production
filter encapsulated organisms
filtration of RBC and platelets
