Function

• The spleen filters your blood. It removes old or damaged red blood cells and lets healthy blood cells pass through to be circulated throughout your body.
  
  

Causes

• The spleen can be injured in a number of ways, such as during a fall, a car accident or an athletic injury. If the chest, rib cage or upper abdomen is injured, the spleen can be injured as well because of its location.
  
  

Symptoms

• Spleen injury symptoms include abdominal pain and cramping, pain below the rib cage and pain in the left shoulder.
  
  

Treatment

• While the spleen is an important organ, it is not vital and can be removed, like the gallbladder and the appendix. Doctors treat spleen problems with blood transfusions or by removing the spleen through surgery.
  
  

Effects

• The spleen is important to your immune system, and removing it can cause your immune system to be weakened. If you have had your spleen removed, your doctor may recommend getting vaccines or prescribe a daily antibiotic to prevent illness and infection.