Ectopic spleen with torsion of the vessels

Abstract

Wandering spleen is defined as a spleen without peritoneal attachments, attached only with its pedicle. Wandering spleen is rare condition in which spleen is located anywhere in the abdomen. Clinical diagnosis is difficult due to the absence of symptoms, unless splenic torsion has occurred and clinical symptomatology of acute abdomen develops. Sometimes, ectopic spleen can be found accidentally during other diagnostic procedures in abdominal cavity. Published literature discribes two methods of treating ectopic spleen: splenopexy and splenectomy. Splenopexy is a method of spleen fixation when there is no torsion of the pedicle or when after derotation the spleen can be moved freely with no sign of vascular thrombosis or splenic infarction. We report on a patient with the ectopic spleen torsion. She was living without any problems before torsion of the blood vessels of ectopic spleen. Splenectomy were necessary because vascular thrombosis and splenic infarction were observed after derotation.