The spleen consisted of mesenchymal tissue mainly with splenic cord is specific organ
on the circulatory point of view that communicating to the portal system and bearing
quite characteristic structure different from ordinary capillaries playing a role as terminal
route of end circulation where arteriovenovs shunt exists. And changes in splenic cord
is sensitively occur under variable conditions. It is quite natural that circulatory
disturbance in portal system giving rise considerable influence to the splenic histologic
architecture.4 number of previous reports for normal anatomical and structural studies on
splenic cord (1,3,4,5) are rather limited to cellular component in splenic cord and not
extended to the changes of lattice fiber in process of demolishing or reconstructing
pattern in congestive splenopathy. Koboth's study on splenic cord by reconstruction of
tissue sections revealed regular arrangement of lattice fiber that contributed to basic
ideal pattern to be investigated to understand pathological changes in chronic congestive
sptenopathy (splenomegaly).
Material and Method:
Among 98 autopsy cases (male-72, female-26) associated with underlying cause of
hepatic diseases, examined at the National Medical Center during the period of last 10
years from 1958 to 1968, 50 cases (male-39, female-11) of chronic congestive
splenomegaly were selected and classified by sex, age and in disease group.
Also statistical study on correlation between liver and spleen in weight was made.
For histopathologic findings ordinary paraffin section of Hematoxylin Eosin(H-E)
staining, Masson's Trichrom(collagen), Weigret Elastic Van Gieson (Elastic fiber), and
Grocott Methenamine-Silver (Lattice fiber) staining were perforirled to observe the
changes of lattice fiber in splenic cord during the course of hepatic diseases with
splenomegaly.
Result:
1. Age on motality showed no significant difference in sex. Age distribution in disease
group reveal hepatic abscess 5-29y, hepatoma 35-55y, cirrhosis 9-59y, and average 24.5,
34.2 and 44.5 year respectively.
2. No remarkable sex difference is noted in frequency of hepatic abscess. But cirrhosis
group showed ratio of 25 : 8 (male: female) and hepatoma group 13 : 1 with dominant
incidence in male.
3. In cirrhotic group average of liver and spleen with standard deviation are as
follows 933.34±268.74g., 470.83g±225.42g. and reveals moderate atrophy or shrinkage of
liver and splenoinegaly.
Correlation coefficient between liver and spleen is r= -0.25 indicating slight reverse
correlation.
Regression line quotent spleen(χ) to liver(y) and liver to spleen is χ= 668.23-0, 12ｙ,
and ｙ= 1074.87-0.30χ respectively.
4. In hepatoma group average weight of liver and spleen with standard deviation are
as follows 2354.56g±688.04g, 265.91g±87.43g. and reveal pronounced hepatomegaly
associated with mild splenomegaly. Correlation coefficient between liver and spleen is r=
-0.41 presenting slight reverse correlation. Regression line quotent spleen to liver and
liver to spleen is χ= 658.23-0.21y, and ｙ=1074.87-0.30y rrespectively. .
5. Hematoxylin-Eosin stain revealed no definite structural alteration except sinusoidal
distension, endothelial proliferation, widening of splenic cord and periarterial fibrosis in
Malpighian corpuscles.
6. Alteration of lattice fiber is quite characteristic with dissociation of GF
(Grenzfaser),fine network formation, nextly foruling small sinuses dividing in to splenic
cord, frokl which histologic architectural changing process in splenomegaly due to portal
hypertension is partly explainable.
7. Senile spleen with ordinary hematoxylin-Eosin (H-E) stain showed no much
difference from mild degree of splenomegaly. However, silver staining for lattice fiber
reveals further complicating findings than splenomegaly with atrophy or destruction of
cord bearing fragmentation of R.F. and demolishing of Mgm, and Mmf. No evidence of
newly forming sinuses is noted.
8. Special staining employed for collagen and elastic fiber had not given much
contribution on the histological study of splenomegaly.
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