Where is the spleen in relation to the heart?
The spleen, which is 4 inches long and sits in the upper abdomen, acts as a reservoir of immune cells that speed to the site of heart injury after a heart attack to begin clearance of damaged tissue. Those leukocytes can lead to either heart protection or pathology, depending on how the immune response progresses.
Where does blood go after the spleen?
Blood leaves the spleen through the splenic vein, which drains into a larger vein (the portal vein) that carries the blood to the liver. The spleen has a covering of fibrous tissue (the splenic capsule) that supports its blood vessels and lymphatic vessels.
Can enlarged spleen cause heart palpitations?
Other symptoms may include an abnormally enlarged liver and/or spleen, weakness, heart palpitations, breathing problems, and/or irritability.
What causes a spleen to enlarge?
But a number of conditions, including liver disease and some cancers, can cause your spleen to become enlarged. Your spleen is an organ that sits just below your left rib cage. Many conditions — including infections, liver disease and some cancers — can cause an enlarged spleen.
What are the parts of the spleen?
The spleen is composed of a network of reticular tissue that contains reticular cells, many lymphocytes and other blood cells, macrophages , and APCs. The splenic pulp has two components, the white pulp and the red pulp.
What is the job of the spleen?
One of the spleen’s main jobs is to filter your blood. It affects the number of red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout your body, and the number of platelets, which are cells that help your blood to clot. It does this by breaking down and removing cells that are abnormal, old, or damaged.
What is a bad spleen?
The spleen is the most commonly injured abdominal organ, usually as a result of blunt trauma due to an automobile accident, significant fall or contact sports. Signs and symptoms vary based on the severity of the damage and associated internal bleeding.
What are the organs of the spleen?
Spleen resembles the size and shape of a clenched fist. The organs of the body located near the spleen include gallbladder, pancreas, small intestine, and stomach. And the blood supply as viewed from below shows the structures like splenic veins, arteries, fibrous capsule, and the hilus.
