Spleen cyst: causes, symptoms, treatment

In our time, the spleen cyst is an ailment that is diagnosed in almost 1% of the population. It is a pathological formation in the internal organ with a cavity filled with liquid. Affect the disease can be any, but more common in the fair sex at the age of 35-55 years. But why it develops and what methods of treatment can be used, we will consider in more detail.

Features of clinical manifestations of the disease

The clinical manifestations of this ailment depend entirely on the characteristics of the neoplasm, such as localization, character and size. Small cavities, whose diameter does not exceed 2 cm, develop without symptoms. The patient does not even know about the existing health problem, and when a planned examination reveals this ailment, there is no limit to bewilderment.

The insidiousness of the disease is manifested in the fact that visible symptoms in some cases may be absent even with a large amount of cavitary formations. But the spleen cyst usually shows symptoms , but their character does not cause any special fears for the patient, so they are often ignored. People do not turn to the doctor, while the ailment continues to progress.

Symptomatology of the disease

If the spleen cyst is of considerable size, the patient experiences constant dull or paroxysmal pain in the left hypochondrium, which can radiate into the abdomen and the left shoulder. In some cases, patients complain of uncomfortable sensations, such as a feeling of heaviness and raspiranie in the area of the spleen.

Changes in the structure of this internal organ can also be reflected in the respiratory system. Appears shortness of breath, coughing and tingling in the chest with a deep sigh. And although this symptomatology is inherent in many other diseases, combined with pain in the left hypochondrium, it should prompt a person to seek medical help.

Clinical picture of a started illness

When a single cystic cavity reaches huge dimensions (7-8 cm), or multiple cysts affect more than 20% of the body, there is a disruption of the functions of the gastrointestinal tract. Thus the patient complains of a constant nausea, an eructation, a dyscomfort in the field of a stomach and even a pain.

The inflammatory process in the cyst and the suppuration of its contents lead to an increased pain syndrome, as well as an increase in body temperature, chills and general weakness. If you develop this symptomatology, you should seek medical help without delay. Otherwise, the spleen cyst can burst, and its contents - get into the abdominal cavity.

Classification of the disease

Depending on the etiology, the disease is divided into three main types. The first is a true (congenital) cystic cavity, is a consequence of an incorrect development of the organ during the period of intrauterine development. It should be noted that the cyst of the spleen in a newborn requires systematic observation by a doctor. Many cases were recorded when, upon reaching the age of two years, the child disappeared, and the organ acquired a normal structure.

The second kind is false cysts (acquired), which developed as a result of diseases. The list of parasitic cysts of the spleen, which develops when a parasitic microorganism enters the body, completes the list.

Types of disease

Changes in the structure of the organ can develop in two ways. At the first, only one cavity with a liquid is formed, which has a specific localization. Progression of the disease leads to an increase in the size of such education. As for the second type, it assumes the presence of a large number of small cystic cavities, the localization of which has no clear boundaries. The development of the disease is characterized by the appearance of new cavities.

Causes of the disease

If the spleen cyst is diagnosed, the reasons should be sought based on the nature and type of education. A true multiple or single cyst, as a rule, arises from embryogenesis. In the womb of the mother in the crumbs organ, cavities are formed, which after birth can continue to grow.

False cystic lesions may appear due to a medical abscess, surgical intervention, infection, or various injuries. The development of ailment is a peculiar reaction of the organ to external action.

As for the cause of the development of the parasitic cyst, it is already understandable - a parasitic infection.

Diagnostic Features

Since the disease can occur without the appearance of visible symptoms, then problems with early diagnosis can not be avoided. Most often, the disease is identified in the course of a planned examination and a regular check-up. Detect the presence of cysts in the spleen with ultrasound or MRI.

Only in those cases when the disease is in a neglected stage, and the clinical manifestations are very bright, the doctor deliberately sends the patient to a spleen examination. For this, the patient must not only undergo ultrasound, but also give a general blood test. In the presence of the disease, this laboratory test allows you to judge the general condition of the patient and establish at what stage the inflammatory process is.

Spleen cyst in children

In children, the disease is most often a congenital pathology, only in 20-25% of cases the appearance of a cyst is associated with an inflammatory or infectious process. Regardless of etiology, the disease predominantly proceeds asymptomatically. Signs of a pathological change in the spleen appear only when the spleen cyst in a child expands to a certain size or inflames.

In such cases, the crumb begins to often complain of pain in the region of the left hypochondrium and systematic dizziness. If the child is very small and can not explain the cause of his suffering, parents should alert the behavior of the crumbs. The kid becomes irritable, often cries and during an attack can press the legs to the tummy or just press the handles to the left barrel. Appeal to a doctor with such symptoms can not be postponed, because such a clinical picture is inherent not only cystic formations in the spleen, but also many other dangerous diseases.

Clinical picture of advanced forms of the disease in children

If the cystic formation has reached a large size, or small cysts have affected more than 20% of the body, the symptomatology is manifested vividly. And in cases when the inflammation develops in the cavity, the crumb suffers constant pain in the left hypochondrium, which often radiates into the scapula and shoulder. During attacks, the pain syndrome is worse. An inflamed cyst of the spleen in a child can also be the cause of fever, shortness of breath and a slight unproductive cough.

In such cases, the application for qualified medical care must be mandatory. After all, ignoring the symptoms of ailment can lead to very dangerous consequences, one of which is peritonitis.

What is dangerous cyst spleen?

Lack of timely diagnosis of cystic education and treatment can bring a lot of health problems, and even cause death.

In severe disease, the contents of the cyst sometimes partially flow into the abdominal cavity and cause inflammatory processes of varying complexity. In some cases, bleeding can occur in the cystic formation, which is extremely dangerous for the patient's life.

If the spleen cyst has burst and its contents have completely fallen into the abdominal cavity, within a few hours a so-called "acute abdomen" pattern develops, as a consequence, peritonitis. The absence of emergency medical care in this case can lead to death.

But the suppuration of the cyst, even if its integrity, causes acute intoxication of the body.

Treatment of cystic education

To date, there are simply no medications that can cope with cystic education. If the patient is diagnosed with a spleen cyst, what to do, only the doctor can decide. In uncomplicated non-parasitic education, the size of which does not exceed 3 cm, patients should undergo an ultrasound examination twice a year. Based on the diagnostic results, the doctor will be able to monitor the dynamics of the development of the cystic cavity and, if necessary, recommend a surgical method of treatment.

If in the course of observation the specialist fixes the change in the structure and size of the cyst, the patient is assigned a computer tomography. This method of diagnosis makes it possible to exclude the presence of malignant neoplasms in the walls of the cavity.

Who is shown the surgical method of treatment of the disease?

If the spleen cyst is diagnosed, the operation is the only method for complete cure of the disease. However, if education for a long time does not change in size and has a stable structure, there is no need for such a radical method of treatment.

Indications for surgical treatment are only complex forms of the disease. Removal of the cyst of the spleen is compulsorily carried out with rupture and suppuration of the cavity, as well as with bleeding. Conditionally absolute indications for surgery are the formations, whose diameter is more than 10 cm, with a pronounced clinical picture. Surgical treatment of the disease can also be recommended for patients with recurrent cysts 3-10 cm in size.

Types of Surgery

To date, the surgical method of cystic education is the only way to eliminate the disease and return patients to a normal lifestyle. Depending on the degree of severity of the disease, localization and other characteristics of education, doctors choose the optimal method of surgical intervention. So, with multiple cysts, which affected more than 40% of the spleen, the organ is completely removed. With a single education, the following types of operations can be used:

- removal of only cysts with internal and external shells and treatment of affected areas with argon-enhanced plasma;

- partial excision (resection) of the affected organ along with cystic formation;

- removal of the cyst and part of the organ, which involves the subsequent autotransplantation of the spleen tissues into a large omentum ;

- puncture (fluid intake) of the cystic cavity and the introduction of a special sclerosing medical solution.

The modern method of operations

The most effective method of surgical intervention today is laparoscopy. It allows not only to fully cope with the disease, but also to minimize the process of rehabilitation of patients. This operation is carried out for two hours, with the help of precision instruments and a special camera. After surgical intervention, only 3 small incisions remain on the patient's body, on which only 1 cosmetic suture is applied . Within a few months, scarring is almost completely absorbed.

Life without a spleen

Of course, it is better to conduct if a spleen cyst is diagnosed, treatment without surgery, but, unfortunately, this is not always possible. In the case when the organ still had to be removed, the patient should completely change the attitude towards his own health.

Previously, even physicians underestimated the importance of the spleen in the proper functioning of the vital systems of the body. However, in recent years, scientists are working hard to create ways to preserve this body, even with severe injuries and injuries. After all, the spleen performs not only the functions of hematopoiesis, but also is a kind of filter from bacteria. After removal of the body, the immunity decreases significantly, so it is important to maintain the body's protective functions with immunomodulatory medications, as well as actively engage in sports and pay due attention to hardening.