468 SPLANCHNOLOGY, OR ANATOMY OF THE VISCERA 



SPLEEN 



The spleen is the largest of the ductless glands. It is found 

 in the left hypochondrium, entirely surrounded by peritoneum, 

 except around the hilum, which attaches it to the fundus 

 of the stomach (the gastrosplenic omen turn). It is purplish 

 in color, oblong, flattened, tetrahedral form, soft, of a very 

 friable consistency, and highly vascular. It measures 5 inches 

 in length, 2 to 3 inches in width, and 1 to Ij inches in thickness 

 at the centre. It weighs 6| ounces. 



The Relations. The external or phrenic surface is in relation 

 with the under surface of the diaphragm, which separates 

 it from the ninth, tenth, and eleventh ribs on the left side, 

 and the intervening lower border of the lung and pleura above. 

 The gastric surface is concave, and is in relation with the pos- 

 terior part of the fundus of the stomach and the tail of the 

 pancreas. It presents near its inner border a long fissure, 

 the hilum, in which are several openings for the splenic vessels 

 and nerves to enter and leave the organ. The renal surface 

 is flattened somewhat and is in relation with the outer and 

 upper surface of the left kidney, and sometimes the suprarenal 

 capsule. 



The spleen is attached to the stomach by the gasfcrosplenic 

 omentum; between its layers pass the vasa brevia and left 

 gastroepiploic arteries and veins. The lienorenal ligament 

 is a peritoneal fold which attaches it to the upper pole of the 

 left kidney, and the phrenocolic assists to support it by its 

 attachment to the diaphragm. 



The arteries are the splenic from the celiac axis. The vein 

 is the splenic, which drains into the portal system. 



The lymphatics drain into the splenic nodes, and the latter 

 empty into the celiac nodes. The nerves are derived from the 

 splenic plexus of the sympathetic system. 



SUPRARENAL GLANDS 



The suprarenal glands are two flattened bodies, 'of a yellowish 

 color, found in the epigastrium, lying behind the peritoneum, 

 and above and in front of the upper extremity of each kidney. 



