The following is an excerpt....
BASICS
Description
- The spleen is formed by reticular and lymphatic tissue and is the largest lymph organ.
- The spleen lies in the left upper quadrant (LUQ) between the fundus of the stomach and the diaphragm.
Etiology
- The spleen is the most commonly injured intra-abdominal organ:
- In nearly 2/3 of cases, it is the only damaged intraperitoneal structure
- Motor-vehicle accidents (auto–auto, pedestrian–auto) are the major cause (50–75%), followed by blows to the abdomen (15%) and falls (6–9%)
- Mechanism of injury and kinematics are important factors in evaluating patients for possible splenic injury.
- Splenic injuries are graded by type and severity of injury:
- Grade I:
- Hematoma: Subcapsular, <10% surface area
- Laceration: Capsular tear, <1 cm in parenchymal depth
- Grade II:
- Hematoma: Subcapsular, 10 ...
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