Todayโs path rounds are on ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ข!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ข are also known as accessory spleens, and they are a form of ๐๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐, or normal tissue in an abnormal place. In other words, they are basically mini spleens in an area where the spleen normally isnโt!
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Any species can get this!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
This condition can either be a developmental abnormality where some developing splenic tissue separates from the main spleen, or they can be acquired by trauma. In that case, trauma causes a fragment of the spleen to break off and attach itself to a new area. As long as this new area can supply blood, this spleen fragment will โsurviveโ and produce a splenunculus.
๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
Actually, no! These are considered an ๐ข๐ง๐๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ , or something odd but clinically insignificant to the animalโs health. Therefore, no treatment is needed if these are found during surgery. However, submitting a sample for biopsy can help rule out similar-looking tumours.
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1-4) Fun little splenunculi 
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 3. Sixth Edition.
Photos 1-4 ยฉ Noahโs Arkive contributors Chien, King, Ramos-Vara licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
