Abdo Frenzy! Starring spleen and abdominal pain...

Why abdo frenzy? Well, it so happens that in this post, the abdomen (i.e. the tummy region) is going to feature quite a bit, with special attention being given to:
1) The spleen
2) Abdominal pain
Actually, only these two points (too many) are going to be the highlight of today's post.

The spleen

The spleen is one organ found in the abdomen we don't often talk about; most probably because it rarely gives anyone any trouble. It could also be that it doesn't do anything interesting in the adult except for destroying blood cells when they retire after 120 days. However, the spleen was once thought to be the seat of "black humour" ("to vent one's spleen) and sadness, caused by an excess of "black bile" (melancholy) that gives the organ its characteristic disgusting colour. It's within the latter context that the spleen is going to enjoy its few seconds of fame. It's not a vital organ in the adult but I still have mine in place, and it needs to be "vented out" a little bit after a very interesting case of abdominal pain that hit very close to home.
Abdominal pain

The causes of abdominal pain range widely; so much so that when a patient presents with abdominal pain, an incompetent pre-clinical (and sometimes even clinical) medical student is bound to leave something out when listing out the possibilities that could ultimately lead to a correct differential diagnosis.

I was studying at medical school library when I receive a message from my mother at 3:15pm. "We're taking Erika to the ER". :S Naturally, I was worried sick and when I met them at the Emergency department moments later, I see my sister get out of the car, holding her tummy like her intestines were about to fall out, with her face all cringed. She was obviously in agony. However, as my brainwashed self suspected an appendicitis (i.e. an inflamed appendix), my gut feeling smelt one of the biggest farces that I could ever write on this blog (at least before I get to ward rounds in third year).

After a bit of running around to get to the right department, blood tests were carried out, (mid-stream) urine samples collected, X-Rays taken...obviously with long hours of waiting in between. In the meantime, I tried studying for as long as I could without getting too distracted by the unfortunate circumstances. Library closed at 7pm but Erika was still in ER. By the time I arrived home, the medical staff finally found out what the problem was. My family came back with my sister totally relieved from pain just 15 minutes after I arrived home and ate everything I could find in the kitchen. Naturally, I asked what the problem was.

To spare any unnecessary embarrassment for the patient, I will not directly state the answer to this clinical case. Instead I'll just end by saying...God bless laxatives ;)