title: Torsion of a wandering spleen treated with partial splenectomy and splenopexy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Wandering spleen is a rare and unusual entity, characterized by excessive mobility and displacement of the organ from its normal position. This happens due to congenital or acquired anomalies leading to the lack of the spleen's suspensory ligaments. Clinical presentation is variable; acute abdominal pain may occur when persistent torsion of the splenic pedicle results in splenic infarction. Ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging are modalities that may be used in diagnosis. The treatment of choice is surgery, with splenectomy or splenopexy, the latter being preferred.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patient was a 38-year-old woman with a 10-day history of left-sided abdominal pain. Imaging demonstrated a wandering spleen with partial infarction of the inferior pole. An open partial splenectomy with splenopexy of the remaining spleen was performed with the use of an absorbable mesh sutured to the abdominal wall and stomach. Her recovery was uneventful and on follow-up she had no signs of recurrence or complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Wandering spleen should be considered in cases of acute abdominal pain, and surgery is the treatment of choice, with the goal of preservation of the organ whenever possible.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Santo Amaro University, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre Zanchenko
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Orlando
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Contrucci
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D013156:Splenectomy / Q000379:methods*; D014102:Torsion Abnormality / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D050805:Wandering Spleen / Q000601:surgery*