The spleen is an important organ in the human body that performs several important functions at once. The body is responsible for metabolism, and any violations in its work can lead to sad consequences. It often happens that it is the splenic artery that is exposed to diseases. The most common is considered an arterial aneurysm, in which the walls begin to deform and sometimes swell, which leads to thinning and the formation of cavities that fill with blood over time. If you do not pay attention to the disease in time, it will lead to serious pathologies in the cardiovascular system, in some cases, death is also possible.
Anatomy and causes of aneurysms
The splenic artery originates from the celiac trunk and runs along the pancreas. Branches depart from the artery in question, which go almost to the bottom of the stomach. As a rule, there isthree roots of the splenic branch, which unite and form one large venous column. It is very dangerous when a disease called an aneurysm begins to develop.
Aneurysm of the splenic artery is more common in women and older people. The reason is hidden in the development of atherosclerosis and malnutrition for a long time. Men are less likely to get sick, and if there are cases in medicine, then this is due to age. Despite this, young people may also be at risk, and the reasons for this are hidden in the following:
- If a patient suffers from high pressure in the hepatic vein or spleen, they are more likely to develop an aneurysm over time.
- At risk are people with damaged inner walls of the arteries.
Women may develop aneurysms after multiple pregnancies
Only a professional can determine the exact cause and prescribe treatment.
How to recognize pathology?
Most often, patients do not have pronounced symptoms, and the disease can be detected during examination of the abdominal organs. In this regard, it is difficult to quickly understand that a person is sick with an aneurysm of the spleen. If the disease can be detected in the early stages, then the treatment will give the most positive result, but before that it will be important to conduct a complete diagnosis of the whole organism. To identify an aneurysm, you should pay attention to the following signs:
- Dull and prolonged pain may occur in the left hypochondrium.
- If the doctor will conductpalpation in the area of the affected area, then the person will feel discomfort.
The branches of the splenic artery can be checked with X-ray, ultrasound and MRI. X-ray is still considered a priority research method, since with the help of this type of research it will be possible to determine the size of the aneurysm and its location.
Types of aneurysms
Doctors distinguish two main types of aneurysm:
- Saccular aneurysms of the splenic arteries, which develop exactly in those places where the branches of the artery originate.
- Diffuse aneurysms are located in the area of the main trunk.
It should be noted that aneurysms are true and false. Most often, one aneurysm develops, multiple lesions are much less common in medicine.
How does a false aneurysm manifest?
False aneurysms are rare, but considered the most dangerous. The reason for the appearance of such an aneurysm may not be a deformed splenic artery at all, but a rupture of the vessel and the formation of a hematoma. You can detect the disease when the patient has bleeding from the upper intestine, while the reasons for the manifestation of this symptom will be absent.
A doctor can diagnose a false aneurysm with the help of the appearance of noise, it will increase during pulsation and listening to noise in the internal organs.
What can becomplications?
The main danger is that the splenic artery may rupture. If the patient is not provided with first aid, then this will lead to death. Basically, there are two types of rupture: complete and incomplete. In the first case, the wall of the vessel that has been deformed is completely damaged, a hematoma forms, and the person himself at this time experiences severe pain and anemia. If the aneurysm does not rupture completely, then a hematoma forms behind the peritoneum and the bleeding stops for a while, and the patient's pressure also decreases. In any case, you should not hesitate to go to the hospital, where specialists will be able to diagnose and prescribe the right treatment.
Treatment
If a patient has been diagnosed with an aneurysm of the splenic artery, treatment can be performed depending on the complexity of the disease and its stage. If treatment is started on time, complications can be easily avoided.
Most often, doctors use drug therapy, but surgical intervention remains the most effective method. The operation can be assigned in such cases:
- Aneurysm rupture.
- A pathology that was identified at birth.
- When a large aneurysm is diagnosed.
Splenic artery embolization is often used. With the help of such an operation, there is every chance to successfully decompress the artery, which will dramatically reduce blood flow to the spleen area and lower the pressure in the hepatic artery.
Such treatment can be performed even at a later date. If the operation is not needed, then the patient should be constantly examined and observed by the attending physician in order to prevent its further development.
Forecast
The splenic artery plays an important role in the human body and an aneurysm prevents it from functioning. The main danger is that the disease may not be detected for a long time, since it is asymptomatic. If a sharp pain appears on the right in the hypochondrium, you should immediately consult a doctor. Modern medicine allows you to choose the most appropriate treatment and serves as a preventive measure for the development of more complex other diseases.
If the surgery was successful, then the prognosis for recovery is favorable. But if the patient refuses the operation when the doctor insists on it, then the consequences can be sad, since at any moment the splenic artery can rupture, and this will lead to death. Any negative change in the body should be monitored and constantly monitored by doctors. Separately, it is worth paying attention to the principles of proper nutrition:
- Monitor the level of cholesterol in the body.
- Give up all bad habits.
- Measure blood pressure.
It is not recommended to treat such a serious pathology with folk remedies, since you can only worsen the general condition. According to statistics, the threat to life with arterial aneurysm is only 2%, but among them, almost 25% is a fatal outcome. Especiallythe disease is dangerous for pregnant women, since there is a high risk of complications, it is almost 70%.
After operations, patients recover quickly, and the risk of complications is reduced to only 30%. It follows from this that it is necessary to identify the disease in time and begin the correct treatment. In this case, the quality of life and its duration of a sick person will not change.
