Splenic cystic lesion is uncommon in children, and cystic lymphangioma of the spleen has not been reported in Korean pediatric patients. Here we report a case of cystic lymphangioma arising from the spleen in a 16 year-old male. The patient presented with left flank pain for 5 days after blunt trauma to the same site. On physical examination, left abdominal tenderness and a palpable spleen were noted. Abdominal ultrasound and MRI revealed multiple septated macro-cystic mass abutting to the spleen medially, suggestive of cystic lymphangioma of the spleen. Laparotomy revealed a 20 cm sized cyst in the spleen, and 2,000mL of dark-brownish fluid was aspirated from the cyst. Splenectomy was performed. Pathological examination revealed the cystic lymphangioma. Post-operative recovery was uneventful, and the patient was discharged at 7 days after surgery.

Wandering spleen is very rare condition in children characterized by migration of the spleen from its normal position due to laxity or absence of the supporting splenic ligaments. We experienced a case of splenic infarction due to torsion of a wandering spleen in a 6-year-old boy who presented with fever, vomiting, and abdominal pain of 2 day's duration. On physical examination, there was severe tenderness in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. The plain abdominal radiograph showed marked colonic gaseous distension. Contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography scan showed decreased density of spleen in the normal position, consistent with infarction. At emergency laparotomy, a wandering spleen twisted 360° on its pedicle was found. Despite splenic detorsion, blood flow could not be restored. Splenectomy was therefore performed. The child was discharged 7 days after surgery without any complications.

Congenital afibrinogenemia is a rare disorder that refers to a congenital lack of production of fibrinogen, a key component of the hemostatic system. Bleeding manifestations of congenital afibrinogenemia vary in severity from mild to catastrophic. This is a case report of splenic rupture occurred in an eight-year-old boy with congenital afibrinogenemia. Nonoperative treatment with cryoprecipitate and virally inactivated, purified fibrinogen concentrates successfully avoided splenectomy.

Splenic cysts are uncommon and classified as either primary(true) or secondary(pseudo-) depending on the presence or absence of a true epithelial lining. True cysts (epidermoid cyst) of the spleen are very rare. Three cases of splenic cysts in childhood were treated at the Yeungnam University Hospital in the last eleven years(1989 - 1999). Two of patients were girls. The ages at diagnosis were 7, 12 and 15 years. Abdominal ultrasonography and computerized tomography were utilized for the diagnosis. Radionuclide scanning was performed in one patient. Surgical resection(one partial splenectomy and two total splenectomies) was performed. The sizes of cysts were 4, 6.5 and gem in maximum demension.

Splenic tuberculosis is an uncommonly considered diagnosis in clinical practice. This is a case report of splenic tuberculosis in a 13-year-old boy who was seronegative to HIV. He was just well until 7 days prior to this admission when he started to feel epigastric and left subchondral pain. Chest X -ray was not pathological. Abdominal ultrasonography showed slight splenomegaly with multiple hypoechoic nodules and abdominal CT disclosed multiple irregular hypodense lesions in the spleen. Radiological interpretation suggested the possibility of lymphoma or metastatic malignancy. Splenectomy was done and the histopathological findings showed extensive chronic granulomatous inflammation compatible with tuberculosis. Splenic tuberculosis 1l1ust be included in the differential diagnosis of hypoechoic and hypodense lesions by means of sonography and computed tomography, respectively.

Torsion of the wandering spleen is a rare condition especially in children. Unfortunatly, splenectomy was the advocated treatment of choice for wandering spleen in many children up to 1985 in spite of the well-known possibility of overwhelming postsplenectomy sepsis. Because of the conclusive evidence of the vital function of the spleen in infection, indication of splenectomy have been revised and more attention has been paid to preserving the spleen where possible. We are presented a girl with splenic torsion, seen as a migratory abdominal mass and intermittent vague abdominal pain. Splenopexy by fixation of the spleen to the diaphragm and posterolateral peritoneum and the use of A vitene in the splenic bed was successfully performed. Complete fixation of the spleen was confirmed by ultrasound a year after this procedure was carried out. The clinical pesentation, etiology, diagnostic procedures and management are discussed also.