Splenic Infarcts
Splenic infarcts is a term meaning death of parts of the spleen. While this may occur in any enlarged spleen (because it has, as it were, outgrown its blood supply) it is much more common in patients with sickle cell disease where the abnormal blood cells tend to get stuck and cause blood clots (see blood and circulation in the chest cavity section). There are episodes of acute upper left abdominal pain which may be severe. Repeated attacks may result in the failure of splenic function altogether (a sort of self-removal of the spleen). This may render the patient at risk of overwhelming infection, and they should be protected in the same way as those who have undergone splenectomy.
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