Wandering spleen is a rare entity, with a reported incidence less than 0.2% and accounts for
only 2 per 1000 splenectomies[1]. Both congenital and acquired causes have been proposed to
explain the hypermobility of the spleen. Some conditions including an enlargement or absence
of a kidney, infectious mononucleosis, splenomegaly, Hodgkin’s disease and Gaucher’s
disease have been incriminated. There are two peak ages of onset: childhood especially below
one year, followed by the third decade of life, and it is more frequently seen in females of
reproductive age. The most common presentation in children is acute abdominal pain.
Wandering spleen may also present with no specific symptoms such as occasional nausea,
emesis or mild abdominal pain and sometimes it may be completely asymptomatic. Traumatic
splenic rupture has been reported [2-3] the condition is distinct from ectopia (development of
splenic tissue in unusual sites) in that a normally situated spleen is absent [4]. We present the
case of a 37-year-old male who presented with abdomen pain post blunt trauma and mass per
abdomen. CT-scan showed a pelvic spleen with splenomegaly. A total splenectomy was
performed.
Keywords:
Spleen disease, splenectomy, wandering spleen, splenopexy.