Overview
Ruptured spleen
Ruptured spleen
The spleen is located just under your rib cage on your left side. A ruptured spleen may pour a large amount of blood into the abdominal cavity.
A ruptured spleen is a medical emergency that occurs as a result of a break in your spleen's surface. Your spleen, situated just under your rib cage on your left side, helps your body fight infection and filter old blood cells from your bloodstream.
A forceful blow to your abdomen — during a sporting accident, a fistfight or a car crash, for example — is the usual cause of a ruptured spleen. If you have an enlarged spleen, a less forceful trauma might cause rupture. Without emergency treatment, the internal bleeding caused by a ruptured spleen can be life-threatening.
Some people with ruptured spleens need emergency surgery. Others can be treated with several days of hospital care.
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Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of a ruptured spleen include:
- Pain in the upper left abdomen
- Tenderness when you touch the upper left abdomen
- Left shoulder pain
- Confusion, lightheadedness or dizziness
When to see a doctor
A ruptured spleen is a medical emergency. Seek emergency care after an injury if your signs and symptoms indicate that you may have a ruptured spleen.
Causes
A spleen can rupture due to:
- Injury to the left side of the body. A ruptured spleen is typically caused by a blow to the left upper abdomen or the left lower chest, such as might happen during sporting accidents, fistfights and car crashes. An injured spleen can rupture soon after the abdominal trauma or, in some cases, days or weeks after the injury.
- An enlarged spleen. Your spleen can become enlarged when blood cells accumulate in the spleen. An enlarged spleen can be caused by various underlying problems, such as mononucleosis and other infections, liver disease, and blood cancers.
Complications
A ruptured spleen can cause life-threatening bleeding into your abdominal cavity.
Prevention
If you've been diagnosed with an enlarged spleen, ask your doctor whether you need to avoid activities for several weeks that could cause it to rupture. These might include contact sports, heavy lifting and other activities that increase the risk of abdominal trauma.
April 27, 2021
- AskMayoExpert. Splenic injury. Mayo Clinic; 2020.
- Maung AA, et al. Management of splenic injury in the adult trauma patient. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Mar. 7, 2021.
- Splenic injury. Merck Manual Professional Version. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/injuries-poisoning/abdominal-trauma/splenic-injury#. Accessed Mar. 7, 2021.
- Hoffman R, et al. Infectious mononucleosis and other Epstein-Barr virus-associated diseases. In: Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2018. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed April 12, 2019.
- Liu J, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of atraumatic splenic rupture: Experience of 8 cases. Gastroenterology Research and Practice. 2019; doi:10.1155/2019/5827694.
- Doherty GM, ed. Spleen. In: Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Surgery. 15th ed. McGraw-Hill; 2020. https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com. Accessed Mar. 7, 2021.
- Diercks DB, et al. Initial evaluation and management of blunt abdominal trauma in adults. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Mar. 7, 2021.
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