you ever wondered what is your spleen even do mysterious organ with a weird name and you're not even sure where it is let me explain I'm Dr Al's mind so the spleen is a fist-sized abdominal organ just behind your left lower ribs it has the job of filtering blood and removing old and damaged cells it controls the number of red cells white cells and platelets it also helps fight infection which is why people who need their spleen removed have to take long-term antibiotics it might burst due to an injury like a car accident Sports accident or broken ribs erupted spleen is a medical emergency because it can cause life-threatening bleeding some conditions can enlarge the spleen like glandular fever certain cancers also immune conditions and infections like malaria so this under-appreciated little organ plays a vital role in our immune system in case