Radiology Case Reports (Jul 2024)

Volvulus of a wandering spleen in a pediatric patient

  • Dolores Ferrara,
  • Gianfranco Vallone, MD,
  • Silvana Russo, MD,
  • Eugenio Rossi, MD,
  • Ciro Riccio, MD,
  • Andrea Maria Rinaldo, MD,
  • Raffaele Zeccolini, MD,
  • Massimo Zeccolini, MD,
  • Francesco Esposito, MD

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 19, no. 7
pp. 2864 – 2867

Abstract

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Wandering spleen is a rare condition in children that is often caused by the loss or weakening of the splenic ligaments. Its clinical presentation is variable; 64% of children with wandering spleen have splenic torsion as a complication. A 13-year-old boy who had been showing abdominal pain in the hypogastric region accompanied by vomit and an enormous tumefaction in the suprapubic region came to our observation. Considering the ovoid morphology at ultrasound exam, the echostructure and the marked reduction of parenchymal vascularization, suspicion for torsion of an ectopic spleen arose. Ultrasound evaluation has a primary role in the diagnosis of a suspected wandering spleen and, to avoid potentially life-threatening complications, immediate surgery is often times required.

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