Rupture, Torsion, Chronic Enlargement. 9X3 



spleen around the splenic ligament occurs not infrequently in 

 hogs (Glage) and is observed occasionally also in dogs (Boston, 

 Jolme, Author's case). If the spleen has become heavier be- 

 cause of enlargement or swelling, and if the ligament has be- 

 come atrophic (Glage), the organ may rotate on the ligamentum 

 gastro-lienale during a forced motion of the body or yielding 

 to the pressure of other organs. When the rotation has taken 

 place, the veins passing through the ligament are compressed 

 so that the return flow of the venous blood is impeded and a 

 splenic tumor is produced which increases rapidly and enor- 

 mously. Simultaneously stasis takes place in the gastric veins 

 opening into the splenic vein, which leads to a venous hyperemia 

 of the stomach ; this is, however, usually not intense. Torsion 

 may lead to necrosis of the spleen. 



The affection is characterized by marked splenic enlarge- 

 ment and sometimes also by symptoms of gastric catarrh. Al- 

 though a great swelling of the spleen, together with a rather 

 soft consistency of the organ may suggest torsion, this cannot 

 be definitely recognized by clinical methods. 



Literature. Glage, Z. f, Flhyg., 1898. VIII. 4. — Zietschmann, S. B., 1903. 

 257. 



Chronic Enlargement of the Spleen. (Tumor lienis chroni- 

 cus.) strictly speaking, this always develops in consequence 

 of venous stasis, which by the copious effusion of nutritive ma- 

 terial stimulates an increase in the connective tissue elements 

 of the frame substance. As more frequent causes may be 

 enumerated : Thrombosis of the splenic vein, chronic interstitial 

 hepatitis, thrombosis or compression of the Vv. portae by a 

 swelling, by atrophy of the connective tissue or by a hematoma 

 of the liver, sometimes also organic heart lesions. 



In the diagnosis of chronic tumor of the spleen the symp- 

 toms described for acute swelling are deciding, but with the 

 difference that here the consistency of the spleen is firmer. 



Chronic swelling of the spleen may include the following 

 pathological conditions of the organ: 



Splenitis chronica indurativa, which develops, according to KHt, 

 through the persistent influence of toxic infectious agents (for instance 

 in the chronic erysipelas of hogs). 



The leukemic splenic tumor can usually be clinically diagnosed 

 with certainty. The nature of the enlargement is indicated by the 

 characteristic blood changes; greater difficulties are encountered in 

 the correct recognition of a pseudoleukemic splenic^ tumor. 



Simple hyperplasia of the spleen (Hyperplasia lienis) is occa- 

 sionally found on autopsy. The spleen is usually remarkably large 

 (in the case of Bourret and Druille the spleen of a horse weighed 

 21 kg. ; in that of Duschanek, 39 ; in that of Koch the spleen of a cow 

 weighed 18.5 kg.). During life gradual and progressive emaciation 

 and respiratory difficulty was observed. 



