title: Acute splenic torsion in children: which is the best treatment? A case report.
abstract: Wandering spleen is a clinical entity which rarely affects children and adolescents. This condition can be asymptomatic or responsible of chronic pain, but it appears as a surgical emergency when an acute twisting occurs. The risk of post-splenectomy sepsis in the pediatric population suggests a conservative approach whenever possible, and also in case of acute torsion, most authors prefer to preserve the spleen and perform a splenopexy. The Authors describe a case of a child with acute splenic torsion, in whom a conservative surgical approach was initially adopted. The conservative option has to be balanced with the risk of prolonged thrombocytopenia, multiple transfusions and a possible second procedure to remove the spleen.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Surgery Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Padua, Italy. giovanni.cecchetto@unipd.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cecchetto
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dall'Igna
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dalle Nogare
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gasparella
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Zanon
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D014102:Torsion Abnormality / Q000601:surgery*