History Main / UselessSpleen

Compare WeWillNotHaveAppendixesInTheFuture. Not to be confused with the useless [[MysteryMen Spleen]].

Not to be confused with the useless [[MysteryMen Spleen]].

* ''MuchaLucha'' has The Flea thinking his spleen as this. He later realizes that his spleen is not so useless.

* Averted every time a patient with a possible infection has their left side palpated by a doctor, as feeling that the spleen is enlarged can be a useful first indicator of mononucleosis.

* InvaderZim had Dib's spleen getting damaged during a FantasticVoyage.

* In an episode of HeyArnold, [[BornUnlucky Eugene]] has his tonsils removed in a hospital mixup. He says it's alright, he doesn't need them anyway...but wishes they had left his spleen. Then he flashes the [[{{Squick}} scar.]]
* In an episode of {{BeavisandButthead}} the duo try to get money by suing people for injuries they supposedly obtained from people, near the end Beavis is hit by Tom Anderson's car, he isn't seriously injured but he pretends to be he shouts "Ow, my spleen!" but he grabs at his crotch when he says this probably not knowing what one is.

* In an episode of HeyArnold, [[BornUnlucky Eugene]] has his tonsils removed in a hospital mixup. He says it's alright, he doesn't need them anyway...but wishes they had left his spleen. Then he flashes the [[{{Squick}} scar.]]

* ''MuchaLucha'' has The Flea thinking his spleen as this. He later realizes that his spleen is not so useless.

The common sight in fiction that [[YouFailBiologyForever the spleen is a completely useless part of the human body]]. This originates from the common idea that no one exactly knows what the spleen exactly does.

Often PlayedForLaughs, especially with the implication that damage or loss of the spleen is trivial and harmless. Also, sometimes because of the InherentlyFunnyWords effect, spleens are very often mentioned for a punchline or joke. This mostly happens in an ArsonMurderAndJaywalking manner, with the spleen as the jaywalking.

* There is a quest in {{Fallout}} 2 which requires you to retrieve someones spleen which was surgically removed while they were unconcious, failing to return it results in them dying after an allotted time.

* In Mockingjay Katniss gets shot. Not surprisingly it happens to be her spleen that is destroyed. Good thing she doesn't need it.

* Averted on a sketch on AllThat, a character has forgotten to bring something for show and tell. He takes his friend out in the hall and when they return, he has removed his friend's spleen and is ready to present it for show and tell while his friend stands next to him, doubled over in pain. He ends his presentation with something along the lines of "Humans are incapable of surviving without their spleen," at which point his friend [[OhCrap gets worried]] and then collapses. Caused no end of confusion for this troper for many years any time he ran into the trope played straight.

In fact, the spleen plays a very important role in the lymphatic and immune systems. If damaged, it must be removed surgically or the person in question is likely to bleed to death; once removed, the person has to take care to avoid bacterial and protozoan infections (to which they become more susceptible).

In fact, the spleen plays a very important role in the lymphatic system. If it's damaged, it must be removed surgically or the person in question is likely to bleed to death.

[[quoteright:176:[[8BitTheater http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/spleen_3860.png]]]]

[[quoteright:176:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/spleen_3860.png]]
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Often PlayedForLaughs, especially with the implication that damage or loss of the spleen is trivial and harmless. Also, sometimes because of the InherentlyFunnyWords effect, spleens are very often mentioned for a punchline or joke.