Medical conditions related to the liver often begin with the prefix "hepat-" (such as hepatitis) and "splen" refers to the spleen. The term "megaly" indicates that something is abnormally large.
Because both the spleen and liver play essential roles in the body, it is crucial to identify and correct any underlying causes of hepatosplenomegaly.
Causes
Conditions affecting the liver may cause hepatosplenomegaly.
Several conditions can cause hepatosplenomegaly. Examples include:
- infection, such as hepatitis C,syphilis, or sepsis from a significant bacterial infection
- chronic liver disease with portal hypertension
- cancers, such as amyloidosis or sarcoidosis
- HIV
- leukemia
- lymphoma
- pernicious anemia
- acromegaly
- sickle cell anemia
- systemic lupus erythematosus
- thalassemia
- thyrotoxicosis
- trauma, such as a car accident that impacted the spleen and liver
Enlargement of the liver can also cause enlargement of the spleen because the two organs are close to each other.
When the liver increases in size, it places extra pressure on the spleen. This pressure affects blood flow to the spleen, which can cause it to swell and get bigger.
Also, the spleen is responsible for filtering bacteria and viruses. When these cause problems with the liver, they can also affect the spleen.
Risk factors
Doctors may be able to diagnose hepatosplenomegaly more easily if a person has some of the following risk factors:
- diabetes
- high cholesterol
- alcohol use or addiction
- history of sharing needles
- being overweight
A person with these risk factors should talk to their doctor about how they can improve their liver health and reduce their risk of developing hepatosplenomegaly.
Symptoms
Jaundice is characterized by yellow skin or eyes.
Hepatosplenomegaly occurs when the liver and spleen are much larger than their typical size. Usually, a person cannot feel the borders of their liver or spleen in their stomach. But if they have hepatosplenomegaly, they can typically feel these organs.
The average adult spleen weighs about 100 to 250 grams (g). From top to bottom, the spleen measures about 11 centimeters (cm) in length.
However, when a person has an enlarged spleen, it can weigh more than 400 g and measure more than 13 cm in length. If a person has extremely pronounced splenomegaly, the spleen can weigh between 500 and 1,000 g.
A healthy liver weighs about 1.4 to 1.5 kg in a male and 1.2 to 1.4 kg in a female. The liver typically measures 16 cm or less in length, but an enlarged liver may be significantly larger than this.
When the liver and spleen are enlarged, they cannot function as well as usual. This can cause symptoms that may include:
- brown urine
- clay-colored bowel movements
- an enlarged or swollen abdomen
- fever
- itching
- jaundice or yellowing of the eyes and skin
- nausea
- pain, especially in the upper right portion of the stomach
- unexplained fatigue
- vomiting
The symptoms may range from mild to severe depending on their underlying cause.
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