The spleen, which plays a significant role in immune function, is usually attached to your stomach and one kidney. With wandering spleen, the ligaments that attach the spleen to other body parts may not be present or may be weak. That means the spleen may migrate to other areas of the body and cause health issues.
Wandering spleen can occur after pregnancy, as being pregnant can affect the strength of the ligaments connected to the organ. Ligaments can also be damaged by injuries and bodily trauma. In some cases, the condition results from problems with foetal development.
Not everyone with wandering spleen experiences symptoms. When symptoms occur, they often include:
These symptoms require a timely medical examination to diagnose wandering spleen and rule out other medical conditions.
When wandering spleen is causing symptoms or at risk of causing a more serious complication, such as damage to the pancreas, doctors will recommend surgery to remove the organ. This splenectomy is often performed as a laparoscopic procedure, which is minimally invasive. That means there will be fewer risks, and the recovery period will likely be shorter.
While the spleen is not essential to live, it does help the body fight off infections. As a result, people without spleens must be very careful about avoiding illness. This entails receiving vaccinations and avoiding germs as much as possible. After a splenectomy, a person may also need to take daily antibiotics to lower the risk of bacterial infection.