Splenic laceration in children
Especially in children who have suffered a rupture of the spleen, it is particularly important to preserve the organ if possible. Although the spleen is relatively well protected from the effects of force due to its anatomical position under the costal arch, a rupture of the spleen can occur during an accident, especially in children. Injury to the spleen in children often leads to internal bleeding and blood draining into the abdominal cavity.
Severe pain in the area of the left flank, dizziness, headaches and fatigue are among the typical symptoms of a ruptured spleen in children. Especially in children, a lack of hemostasis can quickly lead to a circulatory collapse or death by bleeding to death. For this reason, the treatment of a ruptured spleen mainly involved the complete removal of the affected organ.
As a consequence, children often suffer from a pronounced weakening of the immune system and recurrent infections. The development of life-threatening blood poisoning (sepsis) or meningitis is particularly feared after removal of the spleen. In addition, blood coagulation in children is also negatively affected after removal of the spleen. In children affected by a rupture of the spleen, a targeted attempt is therefore now being made to preserve the organ or functional parts of the organ. However, the prerequisite for this is that the bleeding can be successfully stopped and there is no life-threatening condition.
Rupture of the spleen during pregnancy
Even during pregnancy a rupture of the spleen can occur in the course of blunt trauma. The injury to the organ usually causes enormous bleeding, which shifts to the abdomen. These accumulations of blood can enormously restrict the space within the abdominal cavity and thus cause complications.
In addition, if a rupture of the spleen occurs during pregnancy, it must be noted that the bleeding can be much more pronounced due to the increased blood volume. Despite the significantly increased blood volume during pregnancy, even a small loss of blood in a ruptured spleen can have a strong influence on the condition of the expectant mother.The reason for this is the fact that large quantities of the oxygen transported with the red blood cells are passed on to the unborn child via the placenta. The mother’s oxygen saturation can therefore drop significantly if her spleen is ruptured during pregnancy.
If a ruptured spleen occurs during pregnancy, it must be treated as soon as possible. Otherwise, both the unborn child and the mother may be in a life-threatening condition.
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