Splenectomy For Splenomegaly And Hypersplenism Manifestations Compatible With Possible Lymphoma: Diagnosis: Sarcoidosis

Abstract

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulamatous disorder of unknown etiology, most frequently involving pulmonary system, with or without multisystemic organ involvement. Isolated extrapulmonary involvement is unusual. Splenomegaly and secondary hypersplenism may be associated with acute and chronic infections, autoimmune states, portal hypertension or splenic vein thrombosis, and a number of infiltrative and neoplastic conditions involving the spleen. Slenomegaly has been reported in 1-40 percent of patients with sarcoidosis, but this involvement is ususally self limited, rarely necessitating splenectomy (1). Clinical presentation is variable and can range from being asymptomatic to severe constitutional symptoms. Especially, the diffirential diagnosis of lymphoma could present a problem since both diseases could present with fever, splenomegaly and enlarged paraaortic lymph nodes (2). We present here two cases in which splenectomy was performed for diagnostic purposes, especially with the suspicion of lymphoma, but later on found to be sarcoidosis.