Spleen

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Spleen is a lymphatic organ connected to
the blood vascular system.
It acts as a filter for blood and plays an important role in immune responses of the body.

Location

The spleen is a wedge shaped organ lying mainly in the left hypochondrium and partly in epigastrium.
     It is tetrahedral in shape.
  It is wedged in between fundus of the stomach and the diaphragm. 

Dimensions

The spleen is soft, highly vascular and dark purple in colour.
 The size and weight are variable.
On an average the spleen is 1 inch or 2.5cm thick, 3 inches or 7.5 cm broad, 5 inches or 12.5 cm long.
It weighs about 7 ounces.
It is related to 9th to 11th ribs .
The odd numbers are 1,3,5 are 7,9,11.
Normally spleen is not palpable.

External features

The spleen has three borders, two angles, two surfaces and two ends.

Three borders

1- superior border - it is characterised by notch near the anterior end. 

2- Inferior border - it is rounded.

3 - intermediate border - it is also rounded and directed to the right.

Two Angles

1- Anterobasal angle - it is the junction of superior border with lateral or anterior end.
   It is most forward projecting part of spleen. When spleen is enlarged this is felt first so this is also called " clinical angle of spleen."

2- Posterobasal angle - it is junction of inferior border with lateral or anterior end of the spleen.

Two surfaces

1. Diaphragmatic surface - convex and smooth
2.Visceral surface - cancave and irregular.

Two ends

1. Anterior end - it is expanded and more like a border. It is directed downwards and forwards and reaches mid-axillary line.
2. Posterior end - it is rounded and directed upwards, backwards and medially.

Hilum 

Hilum lies between superior and intermediate borders.it is pierced by branches and tributaries of splenic vessels.

Blood supply

Artrial supply 

The spleen is supplied by splenic artery which is the largest branch of coeliac trunk.

Venous drainage

The splenic vein is formed at the hilum of spleen.
It joins the superior mesenteric vein behind the neck of the pancreas to form portal vein. 

Lymphatic drainage

Splenic tissue proper has no lymphatics.

Functions of spleen

1. Phagocytosis

2. Haemopoiesis

3.Immune response

4. Storage of RBCs.












                          - By Vijay Kumar Singh
                            Profession- medical
                            BAMS ( student ) 


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