Organ in our body, the spleen

The spleen is a depository for the platelets in the human body. Platelets see to it that in case of an injury, the blood clots. Most platelets just move in the blood circulation. Yet, about 30 percent is withheld in the spleen. In case of an emergency the spleen then gets a signal, through a rush of adrenalin, causing the platelets to enter the blood.

Function

The spleen is below the left lung in the abdominal cavity. The spleen is spongy soft and a bit purplish of colour. It's about the size of a fist and weighs about 7 ounces.

The spleen ensures that the blood is kept clean. However, people can live without a spleen. As a person gets older, the spleen gets smaller and lighter. The spleen is the only organ that recognizes pneumococcus and can make antibodies against it. This can help prevent blood poisoning.

The spleen contains two types of tissue. Those tissues are officially called red pulp and white pulp. The red pulp removes the waste from the blood and the white pulp helps neutralize intruders, like viruses and bacteria.

Disorders

Some disorders of the spleen can be the following:

• When the spleen ruptures, an enormous amount of blood can be released in the abdominal cavity; this bleeding is usually lethal. Only if the spleen is surgically removed there is a chance of survival.
• In some forms of anemia the spleen works too fast; this can be remedied by removing the spleen.
• Through dragging of blood clots a splenic infarction can develop that, if not too big, often remains unnoticed.
• Some children are born without a spleen. In these children the immune system in particular is very upset. To prevent problems, antibiotics are necessary against bacteria, and vaccinations, particularly against pneumococcus.
• A spleen can also enlarge itself. When that happens the capacity increases and less blood is left for the normal blood circulation. This can then lead to anemia, but also to a decreased resistance. Because the spleen becomes bigger it retains more blood cells, enabling the spleen to continue its growth. An enlarged spleen is more of a sign of something being wrong than a disorder in itself. A slightly enlarged spleen will not cause many complaints. Because in malaria the malaria parasite continues to multiply in red blood cells, destroying them, the spleen works much too hard. For that reason malaria can lead to an enlarged spleen.

Stitch in the spleen

In dogs and cats, the spleen acts as a depository for blood. If they have to put in a great effort, the spleen contracts. That way, extra blood is delivered. This mechanism was discovered in dogs when scientists thought to have found an answer to the question how the stitch develops that people sometimes feel during heavy exertion. The pain was supposed to be caused by the spleen contracting. Back then, there were even marathon runners who had their spleen removed to be relieved of the pain. Later, however, it turned out that the human spleen cannot contract. The real cause of the stabbing pain in the side is an accumulation of flatus in the left bend of the colon.

Sources: www.todio.nl