What is Spleen Enlargement?
The spleen is an organ located next to the stomach in the upper left abdominal cavity, with soft and porous tissue. The spleen, which is the reservoir of blood cells that enable clotting and where white blood cells mature in the body, is about the size of a fist and is easily injured due to its delicate nature.
Diseases Causing Spleen Enlargement (Splenomegaly)
Symptoms of excessive spleen enlargement include fatigue, pale appearance due to anemia, and difficulty breathing deeply accompanied by pain in the upper left abdomen. However, spleen enlargement does not present specific symptoms; in this regard, it can be diagnosed during examinations such as ultrasound performed for other reasons.
Bacterial and viral infections that impair the function of white blood cells, which play a significant role in the body's defense, and consequently the spleen, inflammation of the heart lining (bacterial endocarditis), malaria, blood cancer, anemia developing due to immature blood cells, lymphoma, and diseases like cirrhosis cause spleen enlargement. Spleen enlargement due to infection is treated with antibiotics. If the spleen enlargement caused by diseases such as leukemia cannot be treated, the spleen is removed surgically. A person can live without a spleen, but the body becomes more vulnerable to infections.
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