WANDERING SPLEEN - A CHALLENGING DIAGNOSIS

Wandering spleen is rare, particularly in children, and diagnosis is d ifficult, It usually occurs at 20 to 40 years of age, and most cases a re seen in women, Diagnosis is difficult because of lack of symptoms, unless splenic torsion has occurred, Patients usually have an asymptom atic abdominal mass, an acute abdomen, or, most commonly, a mass assoc iated with pain, Laboratory data are nonspecific, but the diagnosis ca n be confirmed by imaging studies; computed tomography and duplex ultr asonography are preferred modalities, Treatment is operative because o f complications of splenic infarction and possible splenectomy, Spleno pexy is the treatment of choice for a noninfarcted wandering; spleen, Splenectomy should be done only when there is no evidence of splenic b lood flow after detorsion of the spleen, We review our experience with wandering spleen in two pediatric patients, one treated with splenope xy and the other with splenectomy.