A case of thoracic splenosis in a post-splenectomy patient following abdominal trauma: Hello Howell–Jolly

Seeding of splenic tissue to extra-abdominal sites is a relatively infrequent consequence of open abdominal trauma. Immunological function of these small foci of ectopic splenic tissue is unknown and their use in determining the splenic function may be limited. In this case report, a patient is described who had previously undergone an emergency splenectomy. The absence of Howell–Jolly bodies on the blood smear in a patient who had previously undergone surgical splenectomy raised the suspicion of splenosis. The immunological features as well as non-invasive evaluation of these ill-defined splenic tissue sites are discussed.