Duration
The duration of a spleen swelling depends very much on the triggering cause. In infectious diseases, the swelling can persist for weeks or months until the infection has completely subsided. If the swelling of the spleen is due to leukemia, it can also persist over a longer period of time, namely until the therapy has taken effect.
Prognosis
The prognosis of a spleen swelling is very variable and depends on the underlying cause. Most spleen swellings are due to pathogen-related infections. In these cases, depending on the course of the disease, healing and elimination of the pathogens can be expected, which also reduces the swelling of the spleen.
Less frequently, however, there is a swelling of the spleen that does not recede of its own accord, as is the case with severe splenic hemorrhage after an accident. Even if the spleen is removed, the lifetime prognosis of the affected person is usually not restricted. Only various precautionary measures must be taken in the case of a condition after removal of the spleen.
Only rarely are there life-threatening cancers behind the swollen spleen. Their prognoses vary greatly overall, with some having good chances of cure, while others may be associated with poor prognoses.
All articles in this series:
