Can we live without the spleen?

The idea that someone will take a part from our bodies is really scary, most people hope that it will only happen in horror movies. But believe it or not, in some cases, it will be better for you if we leave an agency.

A typical example is the yoke (also known as the spleen) , a rather "mysterious" organ for many people. Fish that you (and a lot of people around) can't determine exactly where the spleen is on your body.

The question is: What role does the spleen play? Why do we need it? And most importantly (only in this article), can we live without it?

The answer is . we can. But don't misunderstand this meaning our spleen is completely useless. The following article will help you better understand this mysterious agency.

"Leftover agency"

These parts are remnants of our evolution.

In high school science or anatomy classes, you may have heard about the so-called "Leftover Agency ". Vestigial organs is a term used to refer to parts that do not perform any significant function in the human body, animal or insect, these parts are remnants. in our evolution, useless or necessary (insignificant) to existence, have long been regarded as evidence of evolution showing the difference between modern humans and our ancestors.

The spleen and appendix are the two most famous "remnants" in the body, but studies have shown that they are really valuable to our health. We will not die without them, but their existence in the body is not a bad idea either.

Our spleen

For those who don't know, the spleen is an organ-shaped organ located in the upper left quadrant of the abdomen, surrounded by a rib cage and a position close to the stomach.

Although viewed as an organ left over from decades ago, however, scientists have recently discovered spleen has an extremely important role in supporting the body's immune system. When you get sick, the spleen can help filter blood, remove bad blood cells and reuse them for other purposes. In addition, the spleen is also a storehouse of white blood cells and platelets to provide whenever the immune system needs it.

More recently, researchers have found that the spleen is also a place to store monocytes ( white blood cells ) , a type of white blood cell that , when mature, can differentiate into macrophages in other tissues. each other's body and infected areas to eat pathogens and prevent tissue damage. This is important for people with heart problems, because mononuclear cells help heal heart tissue when a heart attack occurs.

The spleen is also a place to store monocytes (monocytes), a type of white blood cell.

Finally, the spleen is also an effective weapon against specific bacteria , including some of the most dangerous and common infections that our bodies can get, such as those that cause disease. meningitis and pneumonia.

Fortunately, the spleen is not the only component of the immune system and only 40% of mononuclear leukocytes stay here. In other words, the immune system will not be paralyzed without a spleen, but it will not work as well.

Life without spleen

In some cases, such as spleen rupture, swelling of the spleen (due to liver disease or to mononucleosis), low platelet counts or sickle cell anemia, doctors will require removal of the leaf. spleen. The spleen surgery is relatively easy, but we are also "easy" to ignore serious problems associated with our spleen, because it often manifests itself out of symptoms that seem to be unrelated. (such as an unexplained cough, headache, sore throat, drowsiness, fever and chills).

After the spleen is removed, there are a number of things that need to be done to ensure your health is stable. You need to be more concerned about preventing infections and always pay attention to the smallest symptoms as it can signal larger problems.A dose of vaccine to fight pneumococcal pneumonia is necessary because it can be fatal, and depending on your doctor, you may need a few more doses of vaccine to deal with the infection. Haemophilus or meningitis .

Without the spleen, you will face often with potential risks when traveling.

If your child needs surgery to remove the spleen, long-term antibiotic treatments are important to avoid blood sugar infection, and may stop when they reach adulthood.Without the spleen, you will face often with potential risks when traveling. In a strange place, new strains of bacteria will make your immune system difficult to cope and handle effectively. The secret is to always carry antibiotics and quickly seek medical care when detecting the first signs of infection.

As you can see, life without spleen will be "okay" but definitely not a good idea. Our body is a complex machine and only works well when all parts play a role. Luckily, we have extremely intelligent organ systems that can compensate for the lack of or defective parts, as long as they have a little "steam" left over.

The best advice is to keep the spleen where they belong - inside your body. But if bad things happen and you need to say goodbye to your spleen, this is not the end of the world . or your life.