splenomegaly
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nəˈmɛgBased on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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splenomegaly (ˌspliːnəʊˈmɛɡəlɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| pathol abnormal enlargement of the spleen | |
| [C20: from Greek splēno-, from splēn | |
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| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
splenomegaly sple·no·meg·a·ly (splē'nō-měg'ə-lē, splěn'ō-)
n.
Enlargement of the spleen. Also called megalosplenia.
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splenomegaly
enlargement of the spleen, the abdominal organ that serves as a temporary storage site for blood and filters out degenerated and old blood cells. Splenomegaly may arise as a symptom of a number of diseases, including certain systemic infections, inflammatory diseases, hematologic diseases, inherited spleen disorders, cysts, and neoplastic diseases. In one form of the disorder, called congestive splenomegaly, the spleen becomes engorged with blood because of impaired flow through the splenic vein, which empties into the portal vein. Such impairment may be caused by liver disease, portal vein or splenic vein pathology, constrictive pericarditis, or congestive cardiac failure.
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