Spleen anatomy,it's location external features easy 5 marks,

 Spleen anatomy

Easy 5 marks 

* **Your body's filter:** The spleen cleans your blood by removing old cells, bacteria and debris.

* **Immune system booster:** It helps fight infection by producing white blood cells.

* **Blood cell bank:** Stores extra red blood cells for when you need them.

* **Hidden protector:** Located high in your left abdomen, normally it can't be felt.

* **Vulnerable but resilient:** Injury can cause it to rupture, but it can also shrink back to normal size. 

The spleen is located in the abdominal cavity parallel to the tenth rib's long axis.

External Features:

*The spleen has a broad anterior end and a pointed posterior end.

*Its convex diaphragmatic surface is associated with the diaphragm at the level of the left ninth, tenth, and eleventh ribs.

*The visceral surface displays a hilum, which serves as the entry point for splenic vessels via a peritoneal ligament (lienorenal ligament). This surface also exhibits several impressions:

Gastric impression for the stomach's fundus

Renal impression for the left kidney

Colic impression for the left flexure of the colon.

The tail of the pancreas extends into the lower part of the hilum.

Blood Supply:

The splenic artery branches from the coeliac trunk, while the splenic vein merges with the superior mesenteric vein to form the portal vein.

Structure:

The spleen's interior comprises white pulp and red pulp. White pulp consists of lymphocytes around an arteriole, while red pulp contains cut sections of blood vessels with RBCs, lymphocytes, macrophages, and platelets, resting on a reticular variety of connective tissue fibers.

Functions:

Blood filtration, including phagocytosis of bacteria, degenerated blood cells, and platelets.

Immunity enhancement through lymphocyte and plasma cell production.

RBC reservoir.

Iron and bilirubin extraction from hemoglobin.

Fetal blood cell production.

Applied Anatomy:

Splenomegaly, or spleen enlargement, can occur due to infections like malaria, typhoid, portal hypertension, and leukemia.

The spleen is shielded by the 9th to 12th ribs, but fractures in these ribs can injure it, leading to significant bleeding. Blunt trauma in this abdominal region can also cause spleen capsule tears, necessitating splenectomy to prevent bleeding. A normal spleen isn't palpable, but when it doubles in size, it becomes palpable under the left costal margin.