Lienal

Lienal refers to anything related to the spleen, an organ found in virtually all vertebrates. Similar in structure to a large lymph node, it acts primarily as a blood filter. The word lienal comes from the Latin lienis, meaning spleen.

Anatomy

The spleen is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. It removes old red blood cells and holds a reserve of blood, which can be valuable in case of hemorrhagic shock, and also recycles iron. In humans, the spleen is purple in color and is in the shape of a fist. It weighs about 150 grams in the adult human and is about 11 cm in length. It is located between the 9th and 11th ribs.

Function

The spleen plays important roles in regard to red blood cells (also referred to as erythrocytes) and the immune system. It removes old red blood cells and holds a reserve of blood, which can be valuable in case of hemorrhagic shock, and also recycles iron.

Clinical significance

In the clinical setting, the term lienal is often used to refer to conditions related to the spleen. For example, lienal infarction refers to the death of tissue in the spleen due to a lack of blood supply, often resulting from a blood clot in the spleen's blood vessels.

Splenomegaly is a condition that occurs when the spleen becomes enlarged. It can be caused by a number of factors, including infections, cirrhosis, and blood cancers.

Splenectomy, or the surgical removal of the spleen, is sometimes necessary in cases of traumatic injury or when the spleen becomes diseased or overactive. However, this procedure can increase a person's susceptibility to infections.

See also

• Spleen
• Splenomegaly
• Splenectomy