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The spleen is the largest lymphoid organ. It is wedge shaped and measures about 1 inch thick, 3 inches broad and 5 inches long. It presents characteristic notches on its superior margin and has a hilum on the visceral surface. The aim was to study the anomalies related to size, shape and external features of the spleen and discuss their clinical importance. As there are not many reports on variations in size shape and features of spleen in the South Indian population, we decided to do this study on cadaveric specimens. We observed 50 spleens fixed with 10% formalin. Among the 50 spleens observed, 25 spleens (50%) were normal and had all the features explained in the textbooks. 25 spleens (50%) did not have any notches on the superior margin, 2 spleens (4%) did not have a hilum and 4 spleens (8%) were small sized i.e. about 3 inches long. One of the spleens (2%) was "liver shaped" with 2 lobes. The knowledge of external features and dimensions of spleen are important for radiologists and surgeons as it may lead to confusions in interpreting radiographs and in the procedures of ultrasound examinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the integrated curriculum at Melaka Manipal Medical College in India. Students joined this program after completing high school. In the first year, the students learned the subjects Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry. The curriculum includes lecturers, practical classes, and tutorials. The students were rearranged according to their academic performance. The academically weak students were encouraged to interact with their group members and to dissect the cadaver. The redistribution helped these students to overcome their reluctance to answer questions during the tutorials.