[Non-traumatic surgical pathology of the spleen in children (excluding acute injuries)]

The non traumatic surgical pathology of the spleen in childhood is reviewed. This pathology is rare and gives various and generally misleading symptoms. Part of this pathology is of congenital origin ie: torsion of ectopic spleen, multiple and accessory spleens, syndrome of polysplenia, splenogonadal fusion. The acquired pathology includes tumors, cysts, abscesses, spontaneous rupture of the spleen, splenosis and massive enlargements as in Gaucher disease. Because of the role of the spleen in the immune defense system and the risk of overwhelming postsplenectomy infection the surgical treatment must always be as much conservative as possible.