Hypersplenism
Anyone may have heard of an enlarged spleen, a condition in which the spleen becomes filled with blood and enlarges. This can lead to anemia and a decrease in the number of WBCs, platelets, and RBCs, which can all contribute to the low production of lymphocytes.
In some cases, hypersplenism occurs due to injury or trauma (such as surgery). When this happens, it’s called traumatic hypersplenism. In other cases, it occurs without any known cause, called idiopathic hypersplenism. Traumatic hypersplenism can be caused by surgery, cancer, or trauma to the body. This type of hypersplenism is more common in children than adults. Idiopathic hypersplenism can occur at any age, but it’s most commonly seen in middle-aged people with no known cause for their condition.
The majority of cases of hypersplenism are idiopathic. However, the condition is also more likely to occur in women and tends to affect people between 30 and 60. So if a person is 20 years old, they’re more likely to have a traumatic cause for their hypersplenism than an idiopathic one.
A doctor will perform a physical examination and take a complete medical history to diagnose hypersplenism. They will also order blood tests to determine any abnormalities with the blood cells or platelets in the body.
