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The notes contain a summary of the topic spleen, which has the description, anatomy of spleen, location in human body, external features, relations of spleen, veinius and lymphatic drainage, arterial supply, nerve supply, segments of spleen, development and clinical corelations. All equipped with illustrative diagrams and aesthetic study note.
Typology: Study notes
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The spleen is the largest lymphoid organ in the body (strictly speaking a hemolymphoid organ). The main functions of the spleen are:
Surface Projection The spleen is marked on the surface on the left side of the back of the trunk. Its long axis corresponds to that of the 10th rib. Its upper border corresponds to the upper border of the 9th rib, and its lower border corresponds to the lower border of the 11th rib. Its medial end lies about 5 cm from the posterior midline of the body at the level of spine of T10 vertebra and lateral end at the midaxillary line
Visceral Surface The visceral surface is concave and irregular. It presents four impressions: gastric, renal, colic, and pancreatic. *The gastric impression is produced by the fundus of the stomach. It is the largest impression and lies between the superior and intermediate borders. The hilum of spleen is located in the lower part of this impression. *The renal impression is produced by the left kidney and lies below and behind the gastric impression between the intermediate and inferior borders. *The colic impression is produced by the left colic flexure. It is triangular in shape and situated in front of the lateral end. *The pancreatic impression (occasional) is produced by the tail of the pancreas. It is located between the hilum and the colic impression. RELATIONS Peritoneal Relations The spleen is completely enclosed in the peritoneum except at its hilum, from where two peritoneal folds extend — one to the stomach and one to the left kidney, called gastrosplenic and lienorenal ligaments, respectively.
The spleen is supplied by the splenic artery, the largest branch of the coeliac trunk (Fig. 7.23). It traverses through the lienorenal ligament to reach near the hilum of the spleen, where it divides into five or more branches, which enter the spleen through its hilum to supply it. The splenic artery is remarkably tortuous to allow movements of the spleen following distension of the stomach and movements of diaphragm, without obstruction to the blood flow. N.B. The spleen is classified into two types, diffuse and compact, depending upon the branching pattern of the terminal branches of the splenic artery, which enter the hilum. (a) Diffuse type of spleen, if the terminal branches are long and arise far away from the hilum. (b) Compact type of spleen, if the terminal branches are small and arise close to the hilum.
VENOUS DRAINAGE The venous blood from the spleen is drained by the splenic vein, which is formed at the hilum by the union of five or more tributaries which emerge from the splenic substance. The splenic vein runs a straight course from left to right behind the body of pancreas. Behind the neck of pancreas it joins the superior mesenteric vein to form the portal vein. Its tributaries are:
The very large (massive) spleen projects downward and medially toward the right iliac fossa in the direction of the axis of the 10th rib. The enlarged spleen may be differentiated from the enlarged kidney by the presence of one or more notches on its superior border