Class 3 Spleen Injury Recovery

Located in the upper-left quadrant of the abdomen, the spleen is one of the most easily injured organs. Blunt trauma to the area will commonly cause the spleen to tear or rupture. Spleen injuries are rated on a scale of one to five, with class 1 injuries being the smallest and class 5 the most severe. Recovery from a class 3 spleen injury is painful and detailed.

Rest

• While recovering from a spleen injury, hospital admission and strict bed rest for a few days is often necessary. This period of rest allows the spleen to heal properly and ensure that it does not bleed too profusely.

Blood Transfusion

• An injured spleen typically releases a significant amount of blood into the abdomen. If too much blood is lost, a blood transfusion may be necessary.

Surgery

• Although surgery is not always necessary to treat a spleen injury, it may be required in certain cases. In the case of surgery, the injured spleen will either be repaired or removed completely.

Considerations

• According to Cincinnati Children's Hospital, most spleen injuries in children do not require surgical treatment. In fact, children with a spleen injury of class 3 or lower are admitted to a room in the general floor of the hospital for monitoring.

Pain

• A class 3 spleen injury is extremely painful, with the pain radiating from the abdomen to the left shoulder. When recovering from a spleen injury, pain medications will likely be prescribed to help manage this pain.