Talk:Spleen
From Academic Kids
What is the normal size of a spleen?
- From the third paragraph of the article - "The human spleen is located in the upper left part of the abdomen, behind the stomach and just below the diaphragm. In a normal individual this organ measures about 125 × 75 × 50 mm (5 × 3 × 2 in) in size. In certain diseases it often increases in size, and it may even fill a large portion of the left side of the abdomen." —Stormie 05:55, Jul 1, 2004 (UTC)
If the spleen is removed, apparently you need to take medication as a substitute. We need a paragraph on that.
- If it were true, we might. I'm guessing you are referring to the use of prophylactic antibiotics, and their use is not advised except in certain circumstances, and certainly not in most places for most people. There's information on this at asplenia; there could be more information added at splenectomy. - Nunh-huh 23:26, 14 Apr 2005 (UTC)
- Not according to our own definition: A medication is a licenced drug or substance taken to reduce symptoms or cure an illness or medical condition. Anyway, these topics are covered adequately in asplenia, but it wouldn't hurt to make readers of this article more aware that they should go there. --Coneslayer (who's short a spleen)
- re comment above on antibiotics "not in most places", UK guidelines (Haematology Working Group report published in the BMJ) are that all patients undergoing a splenectomy/autosplenectomy receive antibiotics for at least 2 years or until aged 16 (http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/312/7028/430 in 1996 and its 2001 update http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/312/7028/430#12088). Indeed some advocate lifelong antibiotics or at least home supply to take at onset any URT/LRT/fever illness, but many patients defer starting such courses (see http://jcp.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/54/3/214). In practice of course antibiotics/vaccinations are poorly implemented although guidelines worldwide seem to now be fairly similar. Would adding these references to asplenia, spleen or splenectomy be helpful ? -- David Ruben 10:13, 17 Apr 2005 (UTC)
