title: A wandering spleen presenting as a hypogastric mass: case report.
abstract: Wandering spleen is a rare condition characterized by the absence or underdevelopment of one or all of the ligaments that hold the spleen in its normal position in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. It is an uncommon clinical entity that mainly affects children. Among adults it most frequently affects women of reproductive age, in whom acquired laxity of the splenic ligaments is usually the cause. Patients with a wandering spleen may be asymptomatic, present with a movable mass in the abdomen, or have chronic or intermittent abdominal pain because of partial torsion and spontaneous detorsion of the spleen. A 26-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with vomiting and abdominal pain. Abdominal examination revealed a large ovoid hypogastric mass. A CT scan showed a wandering spleen in the hypogastric region. Exploratory laparotomy revealed an ischemic spleen. A total splenectomy was performed.
authors.affiliation: Department of surgery, Mohamed Thahar Maamouri Hospital, Nabeul, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bouassida
authors.forename: Selim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sassi
authors.forename: Mohamed Fadhel
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Chtourou
authors.forename: Noomen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bennani
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baccari
authors.forename: Fathi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chebbi
authors.forename: Mechaal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benali
authors.forename: Mohamed Mongi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mighri
authors.forename: Hassen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Touinsi
authors.forename: Sadok
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sassi
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D000236:Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D013156:Splenectomy; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D050805:Wandering Spleen / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery