What is a splenunculus?
An accessory spleen, also called a supernumerary spleen, a splenule, or a splenunculus, is a benign and asymptomatic condition in which splenic tissue is found outside the normal spleen. Accessory spleens are a relatively common phenomenon with an estimated 10% to 30% of the population having one.
Is splenunculus normal?
Splenunculi or accessory spleens are congenital foci of normal splenic tissue that are separate from the main body of the spleen. They are common, with a prevalence of 16% on contrast-enhanced abdominal CT, and present in 10–30% of post mortem examinations.
Is splenunculus harmful?
Multiple (accessory) spleens do not cause medical problems, and nothing is done about them. Rarely, accessory spleens may be confused with tumors.
What causes accessory spleens?
Accessory spleens are congenital and form as a result of failure of fusion of multiple buds of splenic tissue in the dorsal mesogastrium in the fifth week of embryonic life. They have their own blood supply, which is usually from a branch of the splenic artery.
Are Splenules bad?
Splenules are incidental findings of little clinical significance in most patients, but they must be properly identified in situations such as torsion and infarction and to differentiate them from metastatic lesions. Proper identification guides patient treatment and may also prevent unnecessary surgery.
Can an accessory spleen grow?
Unlike some other organs, like the liver, the spleen does not grow back (regenerate) after it is removed. Up to 30% of people have a second spleen (called an accessory spleen). These are usually very small, but may grow and function when the main spleen is removed.
Is an accessory spleen useful?
The identification of an accessory spleen is important because it may mimic lymphadenopathy or a tumor in the pancreas, adrenal gland, or kidney. In addition, it can occasionally cause symptoms due to torsion, haemorrhage, spontaneous rupture, or cyst formation [5].
Does Splenule cause pain?
Symptoms typically include intermittent left upper quadrant pain due to ischemia in torsed splenules, but they can progress to an acute abdomen in more severe cases. It is important to differentiate splenules from wandering spleens, although infarction of the two may present with similar imaging findings.
What does a Splenule look like?
The spleen is an organ in the upper far left part of the abdomen, to the left of the stomach. The spleen varies in size and shape between people, but it’s commonly fist-shaped, purple, and about 4 inches long. Because the spleen is protected by the rib cage, you can’t easily feel it unless it’s abnormally enlarged.
Is having no spleen a disability?
Under Diagnostic Code 7706, a splenectomy warrants a 20 percent disability rating. This diagnostic code also provides the instruction to rate complications such as systemic infections with encapsulated bacteria separately.
