Splenomegaly

Spleen is a part of the lymph system in our body, which filters the blood and maintains healthy red blood cells, white blood cells and the platelets. Spleen does a wide variety of functions, hence it may be affected my many conditions involving the blood or lymph system by infections, malignancies and liver diseases.

Splenomegaly is an enlargement of the spleen beyond its actual size. Hiccups, inability to eat a large meal, pain on the upper left side of the abdomen are the symptoms of the disease.

Abdominal X-ray, ultrasound, CT scan, blood tests to test your liver function, tests for suspected causes of Splenomegaly are the diagnosis required. An enlarged spleen is not normal and usually is a physical finding of an under lying disease or illness.

Bacterial infections, cat scratch disease, parasitic infections, other viral infections, diseases involving liver such as cirrhosis, cystic fibrosis, portal vein obstruction, portal vein obstruction, portal hypertension, Hodgkin’s disease, leukemia, lymphoma, Hemolytic anemia, felty syndrome, sickle cell splenic crisis are the causes of Splenomegaly.