MORPHOLOGICAL AND MORPHOMETRIC STUDY OF HUMAN FOETAL SPLEEN AT DIFFERENT GESTATIONAL AGE

Volume : IV, Issue : IV, April - 2015

Mr. Rajeev Mukhia, Dr. Aruna Mukherjee, Dr. Anjali Sabnis

 Introduction: The spleen, the largest of the lymphoid organs appears at about 6th weeks of gestation as localized 

thickening of the coelomic epithelium of the dorsal mesogastrium near its cranial end. 

Aims and Objective: To study variations on morphology and morphometry of human foetal spleen at different gestational ages.

Materials and Methods: After permission from the Institutional Ethical Committee the foetal spleens were collected from MGM Medical College, 

Hospital, Navi Mumbai, India. The measurements length, width, thickness, and weight of fetal spleen and ratio between fetal weight and spleen 

weight were measured.

Result: All the spleen was observed in its normal location in the left hypochondric region of abdomen. Surfaces of all the collected spleens were 

smooth in appearance. Diaphragmatic surface presented impressions of 9th to 11th ribs. All the spleens were dark purple in colour. 

Conclusions: The knowledge of measurement of human fetal spleen is helpful in medicine and surgical practice because of its clinical importance.