RT Journal
A1 Olsen WR, Beaudoin DE
T1 INcreased incidence of accessory spleens in hematologic disease
JF Archives of Surgery
JO Archives of Surgery
YR 1969
FD June 1
VO 98
IS 6
SP 762
OP 763
DO 10.1001/archsurg.1969.01340120110019
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archsurg.1969.01340120110019
AB Despite their small size, accessory spleens are clinically important. Hematologists have long emphasized their occasional role in the reexacerbation of hematologic disease after initially beneficial splenectomy.1-7 Accessory spleens have been known to rupture,8 twist on their pedicles and strangulate,5,6,9 cause bowel obstruction,10 and produce defects on upper gastrointestinal radiographs suggestive of gastric neoplasms.11,12 Although accessory spleens are well recognized as a cause of disease, there is little published evidence to suggest that their apparent frequency may be the result of disease.Anatomy textbooks tend to mention the infrequent presence of accessory spleens as an anatomic fact devoid of pathological significance. Settle states, "the accessory spleen is an anomaly [which is the] result of a development abnormality in the embryo."6 Downey13 and Arey14 share this belief. To some degree this is true, as substantiated by the occasional presence of accessory spleens in normal