Acute Torsion of a Wandering Spleen Managed by Splenopexy

Torsion of the spleen is a rare cause of abdominal pain in children and it may occur in conjunction with wandering spleen. Wandering spleen is the presence of the spleen in a location other than the left upper quadrant, and it is secondary to the congenital or functional absence of splenic ligaments. The occurrence of wandering spleen is rare in adults and it's even less common in children. The most common presentation is acute abdominal pain, although the signs and symptoms vary widely. Due to the risk of splenic infarction, making a rapid and accurate diagnosis is essential. When a wandering spleen is diagnosed, the treatment of choice is splenopexy, even if the patient is asymptomatic. If splenic necrosis is present, then splenectomy is usually required. We describe here a 4-year-old girl with torsion of a wandering spleen that was managed by splenopexy. (Korean J Hematol 2005;40:278-281.)