Splenic torsion of a wandering spleen

Abstract

Torsion of the spleen is a rare cause of acute abdominal pain. A wandering spleen is characterized by laxity or absence of the supporting splenic ligaments and where a long pedicle facilitates abnormal positioning of the spleen outside its native left sub-diaphragmatic location. Wandering spleen predisposes the spleen to torsion, blood-flow impairment and ischemia, and can cause a variety of symptoms from mild intermittent abdominal pain to acute abdominal crisis [1]. The non-specific signs and symptoms together with the rarity of this condition hamper the clinical diagnosis. We present a case of splenic torsion in a 22 year old woman.