A Rare Presentation of Splenunculus in Greater Omentum - An Original Case Report

Splenunculus or accessory spleen is a congenital foci of normal splenic tissue found separately from the main body of the spleen. It is found in approximately 10% of population. Accessory spleens may appear either due to developmental defects or as a result of trauma. Most common sites for splenenculi are hilum of the spleen and near the tail of pancreas. It may also be present in other sites such as greater omentum, mesentry or in the walls of stomach and intestines. Here we report a case of an accessory spleen seen in the greater omentum. The splenunculus was noted during routine cadaveric dissection of a middle aged person in the department of Anatomy, Believers church medical college, Thiruvalla. Knowledge regarding splenunculi is important for surgeons especially during splenectomy as failure to remove the accessory spleen may result in recurrence of the disease. Additionally during any radiographic imaging, the accessory spleen maybe mistaken for an enlarged lymphnode or a tumour. In some cases, the splenunculi may become symptomatic causing abdominal pain and vomiting due to torsion. This case has been reported to give an insight into the rare presentation of an accessory spleen in the greater omentum.