The spleen is an encapsulated hematopoietic organ that lies within the posterior aspect of the left upper quadrant in the peritoneal cavity. It has proximity to the 9th, 10th, and 11th ribs; left kidney; stomach; transverse and descending colon; left hemidiaphragm; and the pancreas. The spleen is the visceral organ most frequently injured in blunt abdominal trauma. Trauma is also the most common cause of a ruptured spleen. In patients who experience non-traumatic splenic rupture, 7% are due to idiopathic causes, with the remaining 93% attributed to pathological causes.
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