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Anatomic variations of the spleen: current state of terminology, classification, and embryological background

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Abstract

A thorough understanding of the anatomy, physiology, and development of the spleen is essential for determining the pathophysiological mechanisms underpinning splenic diseases and congenital variations. The aim of this review is to briefly summarize current knowledge regarding the normal development of the spleen, and to provide an overview of clinically relevant congenital splenic variations. These include such variations as asplenia, polysplenia, hyposplenia, lobulation of spleen, accessory spleens, accessory splenic nodules, wandering spleen, splenogonadal and splenopancreatic fusion, splenic cysts, and cavernous haemangioma of the spleen. All of these congenital variations are also mentioned in internationally accepted embryological nomenclature, known as the Terminologia Embryologica. Interestingly, most patients who have these diseases are asymptomatic, and are often diagnosed only after an injury or during unrelated medical procedures. Using examples from published case reports, we highlight how an understanding of the embryology of the spleen and the etiology of its disease states would improve clinical practice.

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Acknowledgements

Dedicated to a brilliant Slovak pediatric surgeon and friend, Vladimír Cingel, MD, Ph.D., former head physician of Department of Pediatric Surgery, Comenius University in Bratislava, who passed away suddenly before we could finish this manuscript together.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Spitalska 24, 813 72, Bratislava, Slovak Republic

    Ivan Varga

  2. Department of Pediatric Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and Children’s Faculty Hospital, Limbová 1, 833 40, Bratislava, Slovak Republic

    Jozef Babala

  3. Department of Anatomy, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, V Úvalu 84, 150 06, Prague 5, Czech Republic

    David Kachlik

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  1. Ivan Varga
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Correspondence to Ivan Varga.

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Varga, I., Babala, J. & Kachlik, D. Anatomic variations of the spleen: current state of terminology, classification, and embryological background. Surg Radiol Anat 40, 21–29 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-017-1893-0

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