Wandering Spleen

What is wandering spleen?

Wandering spleen is a rare condition. It happens when the ligaments that normally keep your spleen in place are missing or weak. Your spleen is a fist-sized organ that sits inside your left rib cage, just above your stomach. It’s part of your lymphatic system. Your spleen stores and filters blood and helps your body fight infection. Normally, ligaments connect it to your stomach and one of your kidneys. Without that connection, a wandering spleen may:

• Twist and untwist (think of wringing a towel) and cause belly pain (splenic torsion).
• Press on nearby organs.
• Block blood flowing into your spleen so that your spleen tissue starts to die (splenic infarction).

A wandering spleen may not cause symptoms. Some people learn they have the condition after a computed tomography scan or another imaging test for another reason (incidental finding).

How common is wandering spleen?

Wandering spleen is very rare, with only 500 cases reported in medical literature. Research suggests 1 in 3 cases of wandering spleen involve children age 10 and younger who were born with the condition. People assigned female at birth (AFAB) may develop wandering spleen after pregnancy.

What are the symptoms of wandering spleen?

Common wandering spleen symptoms are:

• Bloated belly.
• Recurring belly pain that may be mild, moderate or severe.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• A mass (lump) in your belly that you can feel and that may move when you press it.
• Upper left abdominal pain that may be a sign of an enlarged spleen.

What causes wandering spleen?

Wandering spleen may happen during fetal development. You may develop a wandering spleen after pregnancy loosens the ligaments that support your spleen or if you have an accident or injury that damages your spleen.

What are the complications of wandering spleen?

Rarely, wandering spleen may cause pancreatic tail necrosis, which is when part of your pancreas dies. Your spleen is very close to your pancreas, and issues with your spleen often affect your pancreas.

How do healthcare providers diagnose wandering spleen?

A healthcare provider will do a physical examination, including feeling your belly for signs of unusual masses or lumps. They’ll order a computed tomography (CT) scan or abdominal ultrasound so they can see inside your abdomen.

How is wandering spleen treated?

The most common treatment is surgery to remove your spleen (splenectomy). In most cases, your provider can perform a splenectomy laparoscopically. Laparoscopic surgery is minimally invasive. It requires smaller cuts than traditional open surgery, which makes for a faster recovery.

What can I expect if I have wandering spleen?

If you’re like most people, you’ll have surgery to remove your spleen. That may sound like a drastic and scary solution. It may help to know your spleen isn’t essential and that you can have a typical lifespan without one.

How do I take care of myself?

Wandering spleen treatment typically involves surgery to remove your spleen. Navigating life without a spleen means taking extra precautions to avoid infection. Here are some suggestions:

• Stay up to date on vaccines: Your spleen protects against infection. You may need specific vaccinations for bacterial and viral infections.
• Take antibiotics as prescribed: If another medical condition weakens your immune system, your provider may recommend you take an antibiotic every day.
• Understand travel precautions: Some destinations pose a high risk for diseases like malaria that cause serious medical issues for people without spleens. Discuss your travel plans with a healthcare provider so they can suggest precautions, including additional vaccinations.

When should I see my healthcare provider?

Contact your healthcare provider right away if you develop infections. But don’t hesitate to go to the emergency room if your infection symptoms include:

• Chills.
• High fever (103 degrees Fahrenheit or 39.4 degrees Celsius).
• Vomiting that gets worse or doesn’t go away.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

You can have wandering spleen without having symptoms. Some people find out they have wandering spleen when imaging tests show their spleens aren’t where they’re supposed to be. You may have symptoms that many conditions can cause, like a bloated belly or belly pain that happens for no apparent reason, goes away and comes back. You may feel relieved to finally know what’s going on with your body. But you may feel anxious about the treatment, which is removing your wandering spleen.

Your spleen is important because it helps protect you from infections. But it’s not essential. That said, you’ll probably need to take extra precautions to avoid infection. If this is your situation, ask your healthcare provider for information. They’ll be glad to help you.