Wandering liver, spleen, and kidney: what the radiologist needs to know.

The wandering spleen, wandering liver, and wandering kidney are rare diagnoses that can be asymptomatic or are associated with nonspecific symptoms, making the clinical diagnosis elusive. In addition, given the small number of cases, these conditions are not well understood. Major complications of wandering spleen result from torsion of the vascular pedicle with resultant ischemia, physiologic dysfunction, and/or infarction. Wandering liver is commonly associated with bowel obstruction, particularly colonic volvulus, with very rare reports of hepatic ischemia or infarct. Wandering kidneys are not commonly associated with serious complications. In many cases, the wandering spleen, liver or kidney can be found in their anatomic position on static imaging and are only diagnosed during ultrasound or with serial radiographic or cross-sectional imaging with different patient positioning, or with prior studies demonstrating different locations of the involved organ. Treatment approaches for uncomplicated wandering spleen, liver, or kidney include watchful waiting and splenopexy, hepatopexy, or nephropexy, respectively. Complicated wandering spleens are treated with splenectomy. Given the variable clinical presentation of these conditions, imaging plays a pivotal role in diagnosing these rare and often incidentally discovered phenomena.

Gastric outlet obstruction secondary to a wandering spleen: systematic review and surgical management of a case.

INTRODUCTION: A wandering spleen occurs when laxity or absence of the suspensory ligaments allows migration throughout the abdomen. Gastric outlet obstruction resulting from this abnormality is rare. We present a systematic literature search and a case that was managed successfully with surgical intervention at our centre. METHODS: A systematic search of the PubMed, Embase™, Medline® and Google Scholar™ databases was carried out employing the combined search terms "gastric outlet obstruction" AND "wandering spleen". Six results were included for final analysis. RESULTS: All six search results described a single case each. Patients underwent surgical management (open or laparoscopic) after initial investigation utilising a range of modalities. There were no mortalities reported at 90 days. The single case we present was complicated by gastric perforation; the patient made a successful recovery following open splenopexy and stapled wedge resection of the stomach. CONCLUSIONS: A wandering spleen is a rare diagnosis and there are only six reported cases of gastric outlet obstruction secondary to a wandering spleen in the literature. None report associated gastric perforation. There are a variety of presenting symptoms, intraoperative findings and operative techniques used to address the gastrosplenic abnormality. The case reported by our centre adds to this limited evidence base and demonstrates a successful outcome from definitive surgical management. We highlight the need to seek early gastro-oesophageal expertise if any gastric pathology is found together with anatomical abnormality of the spleen.

Laparoscopic Splenectomy of a Wandering Pelvic Splenomegaly in a Young Woman Treated in Childhood with Surgery for Diaphragmatic Hernia and Adhesiolysis for Intestinal Obstruction.

BACKGROUND Wandering spleen (WS) is a rare medical condition in which the spleen migrates from its usual position commonly to the pelvis or lower abdomen assuming an ever-wandering state. The incidence of ectopic spleen is 0.2%, with variable clinical manifestations from asymptomatic to abdominal emergency. Symptoms are most attributed to complications related to torsion, so that a nonoperative management of a WS is not advised. According to the literature, 69.5% of patients with WS need splenectomy and 78.6% need laparotomy. CASE REPORT The patient exhibited vague intermittent lower abdominal pain for 6 months due to progressive torsion of the spleen, which resulted in venous congestion. Abdominal investigation revealed a mobile intra-abdominal mass and parenchymatous consistency in the pelvis. Diagnosis by computed tomography outlined abdominal splenomegaly with abnormal position both of pancreas and stomach. Laparoscopy established a giant spleen, with a lengthened pelvic and twisty vascular pedicle. In its ectopic location, the spleen had dragged the pancreas with it, which had taken a vertical position. The classic splenic ligaments were not recognizable. Spleen was removed with median laparotomic incision. Splenectomy was performed to prevent any traumatic fractures of the spleen, a complete twist of the splenic hilum, and the onset of recurrent acute pancreatitis. CONCLUSIONS Wandering spleen is rare in patients presenting with acute abdominal pain. An approach supported by clinical findings and investigation, even considering splenectomy over splenopexy, and laparoscopy over open surgery, may solve and prevent complications and health risks.

Diagnosis and treatment of splenic torsion in children: preoperative thrombocytosis predicts splenic infarction.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric splenic torsion is a rare entity, and the most common cause is wandering spleen. This study aimed to summarize our clinical experience in the diagnosis and surgical treatment pediatric patients with splenic torsion, and to use preoperative thrombocytosis as a preoperative predictive factor for splenic infarction. METHODS: From January 1st, 2016 to December 31st, 2021, 6 children diagnosed as splenic torsion were included. All patients were surgically treated and followed up. The clinical data was collected including clinical presentations, laboratory tests, imaging results, surgical procedures, and prognosis. Clinical experience of diagnosis and surgical treatment were summarized. RESULTS: There were 4 females and 2 males, with median age at surgery 102.6 (range 9.4-170.7) months. Abdominal pain and abdominal mass were the most common presentations. The diagnosis of splenic torsion depended on imaging studies, and adjacent organ involvement (gastric and pancreas torsion) was observed on contrast CT in one patient. Five patients were diagnosed as torsion of wandering spleen, and one was torsion of wandering accessory spleen. Emergent laparoscopic or open splenectomy was performed in all patients. Pathology revealed total splenic infarction in 4 patients, partial infarction in 1 patient, and viable spleen with congestion and hemorrhage in 1 patient. Preoperative platelet counts were elevated in all 4 patients with splenic infarction, but normal in the rest 2 with viable spleen. Postoperative transient portal vein branch thromboembolism occurred in one patient. CONCLUSIONS: Imaging modalities are crucial for the diagnosis of pediatric splenic torsion and adjacent organ involvement. Preoperative thrombocytosis may predict splenic infarction. Spleen preserving surgery should be seriously considered over splenectomy in patients with a viable spleen.

Patients with gastric volvulus recurrence have high incidence of wandering spleen requiring laparoscopic gastropexy and splenopexy.

PURPOSE: Though gastric volvulus in neonates and infants resolves by conservative therapy and aging, some cases require surgical intervention. This study aimed to review the cases of gastric volvulus requiring surgical intervention and evaluate their characteristics. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed gastric volvulus cases requiring surgical intervention. Surgical indication was persistent acute gastric volvulus and repeated hospitalization for gastric volvulus. We evaluated the characteristics of those cases requiring surgical intervention and the surgical results of laparoscopic gastropexy. RESULTS: The median age of patients included was 4 years (range: 1-6 years). All eight cases of gastric volvulus requiring sugery had congenital spleen diseases. Six of the eight cases suffered from a wandering spleen, while two cases presented with situs inversus with asplenia. Both splenopexy (preperitoneal distension balloon [PDB] or blunt separaion methods) and gastropexy were performed in cases with wandering spleen. No postoperative complications were reported in any of the eight cases, except the recurrence of gastric volvulus due to suture shedding in one case. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic gastropexy for gastric volvulus and splenopexy for cases concomitant with wandering spleen were found to be effective surgical approaches. Both PDB and blunt separation methods for making extraperitoneal pockets for the spleen were employed successfully.

Gastric volvulus and wandering spleen; a life-threatening surgical emergency.

Wandering spleen and gastric volvulus are two of the rarely encountered conditions occurring together with or without other congenital and acquired defects. These potentially fatal conditions originate from a shared cause, i.e. the defect of intraperitoneal ligaments resulting in a failure to withhold these organs at their anatomical position and alignment. This can come to attention in both childhood and/or adulthood, and the diagnosis calls for a high degree of suspicion and a failure to diagnose can culminate in death of both the organs, i.e. the spleen and stomach. We are presenting the case of a 20-year-old girl who underwent an emergency laparotomy for gastric volvulus and wandering spleen.

Splenectomy for Torsion of a Wandering Spleen in a Patient with Myeloproliferative Disease.

We herein report a rare case of torsion of a wandering spleen in a patient with myeloproliferative disease. A 66-year-old Japanese woman presented to our hospital with abdominal pain and a fever. She had a medical history of polycythemia and secondary myelofibrosis. Abdominal enhanced computed tomography showed an enlarged spleen without enhancement in the lower pelvic region. The clinical diagnosis was severe torsion of a wandering spleen in a patient with myeloproliferative disease, necessitating surgical intervention. Splenectomy was performed after de-rotating to revascularize the spleen. After the operation, the platelet count gradually increased, and aspirin was administered to prevent thrombosis.

Infarcted wandering spleen and pancreatic volvulus in a patient with concomitant Grynfelt-Lesshaft haernia.

Wandering spleen is a rare condition, generally due to congenital abnormalities of the dorsal mesogastrium or splenic suspensory ligaments and not traumatic events. The most frequent complication is torsion of the splenic hilus with ischemia or splenic infarction and its association with pancreatic volvulus is extremely rare. There are no reported cases of wandering spleen with pancreatic volvulus in association with a post traumatic Grynfelt-Lesshaft haernia. We present a case of a 43-year-old female patient with an association of these three entities and a history of abdominal trauma.

El bazo errante es una afección rara que en general se debe a anomalías congénitas del mesogastrio dorsal o de los ligamentos suspensores esplénicos, y no a traumatismos. La complicación más frecuente es la torsión del hilio esplénico con isquemia o infarto esplénico, y su asociación a vólvulo pancreático es extremadamente rara. No existen ningún otro caso reportado de bazo errante con vólvulo pancreático en un paciente que presenta una hernia lumbar de Grynfelt-Lesshaft postraumática. Presentamos el caso de una paciente de 43 años con asociación de estas tres afecciones y antecedente de traumatismo abdominal.

Laparoscopic management of gastric volvulus, diaphragmatic eventration and wandering spleen in a child.

Gastric volvulus (GV) and wandering spleen (WS) associated with eventration of diaphragm share a common pathological cause of absence or laxity of intraperitoneal ligaments. We herein report a rare case of a 13-year-old child presenting with an acute GV, WS, diaphragmatic eventration and an ectopic ascended kidney managed with a laparoscopic approach.

Challenge of diagnosing splenic torsion in a paediatric patient with gastroschisis.

Gastroschisis is an uncommon congenital defect of the abdominal wall resulting in intestinal prolapse, most commonly associated with short gut syndrome or bowel obstruction. Wandering spleen, movement of the spleen due to the underdevelopment of splenic ligaments, has a prevalence of 0.25% and is asymptomatic in 15% of paediatric cases. An 11-year-old patient, admitted with a history of gastroschisis repaired at birth, presents with 18 months of intermittent, worsening abdominal pain. Imaging demonstrated splenomegaly and tortuosity of the splenic vein with abnormal positioning of the superior mesenteric artery and vein. The patient was found to have a wandering spleen with subacute splenic infarct secondary to splenic torsion, necessitating emergent surgical intervention. This patient experienced an extremely rare complication of gastroschisis that has not previously been reported. This complication is caused by a lack of appropriate abdominal fixation points for the spleen.

An infarcted wandering spleen leading to a sigmoid volvulus presenting with acute large bowel obstruction: a case report.

A wandering spleen is a very rare event characterised by the absence of the spleen in its anatomical position due to the hyperlaxity of its ligaments. We present a case of wandering spleen complicated by splenic vascular pedicle torsion, thrombosis and subsequent splenic infarction. Compression of the infarcted spleen on the rectosigmoid junction led to the development of a sigmoid volvulus, which presented as an acute large bowel obstruction. The patient underwent emergency laparotomy, splenectomy, sigmoid decompression and sigmoidopexy. After a follow-up period of two years, the volvulus had not recurred.

'Wandering spleen with acute torsion' : a rare indication for splenectomy in an adult, complicated by postoperative splanchnic venous thrombosis and intestinal gangrene.

Wandering spleen (WS) is a hypermobile spleen that, due to the laxity of its ligaments, is prone to torsion. We report a case of a 45-year-old multiparous woman who presented with acute abdominal pain and a tender palpable mass. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan of the abdomen showed a WS with torsion. She underwent an emergency splenectomy and was discharged after an uneventful recovery. She was readmitted with splanchnic venous thrombosis and was managed with therapeutic low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) and discharged. Twenty days later, she presented with new-onset abdominal pain. She had not complied with LMWH as advised. The thrombosis had progressed, leading to small bowel gangrene, requiring resection and a stoma. Due to frequent metabolic disturbances, an early reversal of stoma was performed. She was lost to follow-up thereafter. This case highlights a rare indication for emergency splenectomy and one of its major postoperative complications.

Wandering spleen leading to splenic torsion with gastric and pancreatic volvulus.

This case highlights a 37-year-old woman with primary sclerosing cholangitis awaiting liver transplantation who presented with torsion of a wandering spleen with associated gastric and pancreatic volvulus. The patient underwent emergent exploratory laparotomy with splenectomy. She had an uncomplicated postoperative course and recovered well.

Acute abdomen due to torsion of the wandering spleen: A rare clinical presentation.

Wandering spleen is defined as the spleen that is not in its normal anatomic position due to the absence or laxity of suspensory ligaments. Congenital and acquired factors play a role in its etiology. It is a rare condition and may cause life-threatening complications as torsion or infarction. Rarely, patients may present to the emergency department with an acute abdomen. They may also present with chronic abdominal pain or intraabdominal mass. Given that its clinical diagnosis is difficult to make, radiological studies have an important role for an accurate diagnosis. In this paper, we presented a 24-year-old patient with torsion of a wandering spleen who presented with an acute abdomen and underwent laparoscopic splenectomy under urgent conditions.