Page 10 - Chapter06 SPLEEN REVIEW
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PATHOLOGY OF THE SPLEEN SPLENOMEGALY
• The most common abnormality of the spleen is splenomegaly.
• Enlargement of the spleen can be manually suspected on a physical examination and subsequently confirmed using sonography.
• The spleen should never measure more than 12 cm in length and more than 5 cm in thickness.
• The most common cause of splenomegaly is portal hypertension. Other causes include AIDS, mononucleosis, leukemia, lymphoma, infection, a pediatric sickle cell anemia crisis, and trauma.
• It is important to note that massive splenomegaly can lead to spontaneous splenic rupture.
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