Splenectomy may have more complications than currently proven
Introduction
The spleen is known as a large part of reticuloendothelial system which is composed of an encapsulated mass of vascular and lymphoid tissue [1]. The main role of spleen in regulating the immune system as well as influencing metabolic and endocrine functions has just become clear over the past few decades, so for many centuries, the spleen has been the least understood and the most mysterious major organ [2].
The main known spleen activities include removing and enmeshing senescent and defective RBCs to keep a healthy quality of blood, acting as an extra medullary site for hematopoiesis [1], [2], recycling iron [2], antibodies synthesis in white pulp [1], [2], expelling antibody-coated bacteria and antibody-coated blood cells from the circulation, acting as a major source of properdinan which is an important protein in the body’s response to certain kinds of infection [1].
Even with the recognition of spleen activities it has always been thought-out as an obscure organ that is possible to live without [3]. Nowadays splenectomy as a treatment strategy is recommended for some disorders and increasing risk of infections is considered as the most important long term side effects of that [1], [2], [4]. But in some traditional system of medicine such as Persian medicine (PM) which formed on Iran's plateau more than thousands years ago [5], there was a different view about spleen and its dysfunction [6]. Due to approving many of their theories in new research, the evaluation of others can be considered worthwhile [7], [8], [9].
Section snippets
Spleen in Persian medicine
The spleen has been defined as a tongue-shape, dark purple-colored porous organ that is located in the upper left side of the stomach and protected by the rib cage [6]. It is covered by a membrane which is in contact with diaphragm and the other abdominal viscera [6], [10]. The spleen has close relationship with liver through vessels between them and probably via Engheras (Pancreas) that is named as a spleen neck in some PM textbooks [11]. It is also considered in relationship with stomach via
Discussion about hypothesis
The current evidence today, confirms some PM theories about the role and importance of the spleen in the body and diseases caused by its disorders; one of them is the role of the spleen in the process of blood coagulation. According to PM theory, black bile increases the blood viscosity which leads to stasis and accumulation of blood particles and results in coagulation.[17] Nowadays increasing the circulating procoagulant factors which previously were removed via spleen from the blood stream
Conflict of interest
None.
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