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Updated: Sep 28, 2026

Robotic Spleen-Preserving Distal Pancreatectomy: The Warshaw and Kimura Techniques
Published on: July 26, 2024
[Infrequent left renal pseudomass: ectopic spleen]
J G Pereira Arias1, V Ullate Jaime, I Carral Tellítu
1Servicio de Urología, Hospital San Eloy, Baracaldo, Vizcaya.
Abstract:
Ectopic splenic tissue is uncommon in clinical practice, usually asymptomatic and generally unsuspected diagnosed. Interest from urological point of view is due to the possibility of mimicking left renal, adrenal and retroperitoneal tumours; as well as intrapelvic, inguinal and genital masses. We report a 42-years-old female patient with pseudotumoral upper pole left kidney mass with final diagnosis of ectopic spleen. Ethiopathogenic, diagnostic and therapeutical aspects are briefly reviewed in literature. We emphasized opportunity to include ectopic splenic tissue in differential diagnosis of left renal, adrenal and retroperitoneal masses. We recommend imaging studies as CT and MRI, complemented if necessary with liver/spleen radionuclide scan. We advocate for non-aggressive attitude in selected cases with asymptomatic extrapelvic ectopic spleen under confirmed diagnosis, deferring splenectomy in symptomatic instances or secondary portal hypertension cases.
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