Cysts and tumors of the spleen are uncommonly encountered in clinical practice and continue to present challenges in both surgical work-up and treatment. Perhaps the continuing evolution of surgical traditions associated with splenic maladies can be partly explained by the…
Splenectomy for nontraumatic disorders demands careful risk-benefit analysis and surgical planning. Crucial factors considered include the nature of the underlying disease, the severity of symptoms, alternative therapeutic options, the operative risk, and the success rate of splenectomy. During the past…
Abdominal injury occurs in approximately 10% to 15% of pediatric trauma patients, with the spleen being the most commonly injured intraabdominal organ, accounting for a significant proportion of the management expenses incurred with blunt traumatic injuries. Historically the initial management…
The spleen, an important component of the reticuloendothelial system in normal adults, is a highly vascular solid organ that arises as a mass of differentiated mesenchymal tissue during early embryonic development. The normal adult spleen weighs between 75 and 100 g…
The treatment of spleen disorders in modern surgery requires an extensive knowledge of traditional “open” surgical approaches, minimally invasive surgical procedures, and image-guided interventional techniques that can be tailored to the specific disease. The two sections of this chapter will…
Since 1991 when it was first described by Delaitre, the laparoscopic approach has become the standard technique for most cases of elective splenectomy. An increased technical skill among surgeons has extended the application for laparoscopic splenectomy to safely include patients…
The spleen has been a source of intrigue and mystery since ancient times, and its anatomy and function have been contemplated by ancient Egyptians and Chinese as far back as 1550 bc . The spleen was variably thought to be…
Portal venous hypertension is an entity that is defined by the presence of elevated hydrostatic pressure in the hepatic portal veins greater than 8 mm Hg. In practice it is understood as the constellation of clinical consequences from an abnormally high…
Secondary hepatic neoplasms refer to a heterogeneous collection of tumors that metastasize to the liver. By definition, these cancers develop from other organ sites but share a common metastatic pathway. Tumors that hematogenously disseminate to the liver include carcinomas (e.g.,…
Primary hepatic malignancies consist of a diverse spectrum of tumors that arise from an equally diverse population of cells that constitute this complex organ. In addition to hepatocytes, the liver is made of cholangiocytes, neuroendocrine cells, hepatic progenitors, myofibroblastic mesenchymal…