Abdominal mass as an expression of a wandering spleen

Abstract

[eng] Background: Wandering spleen and splenic cyst are rare conditions caused by the absence or abnormal accompanying splenic laxity, due to congenital or acquired causes. Case Report: A 30-year-old girl, mother recently, presented a mobile abdominal mass in the left upper quadrant associated with mild abdominal pain. The diagnosis of nonparasitic cyst in a wandering spleen was confirmed by computerized tomography and negative serological test. Due to its characteristics and anatomical position, a laparotomy with simple extirpation and splenic preservation was performed. The postoperative course did not present any problems. The pathological anatomical result was pseudocyst. Conclusions: In the differential diagnosis of an abdominal mass the splenic pseudocysts need to be taken into consideration. Like in children, as well as in adults the treatment of a wandering spleen associated with a cyst should aim at the extirpation of the pseudocyst, the prevention of vascular accidents and at conservation of the spleen.