Which organs are classified as solid organs?

• A. Liver, Spleen, Kidneys
• B. Stomach, Intestines, Bladder
• C. Heart, Lungs, Brain
• D. Gallbladder, Pancreas, Appendix

Answer: (A)

In trauma and anatomy, solid organs are dense tissue organs with little to no hollow lumen, and they tend to bleed profusely when injured due to their rich vascular supply. The liver, spleen, and kidneys are classic examples of solid organs because each is a deeply parenchymal organ without a central lumen that dominates its structure. The liver is a large, highly vascular organ in the upper right abdomen; the spleen sits in the left upper quadrant and filters blood; the kidneys are retroperitoneal, highly vascular, and structured as solid parenchyma.

In contrast, hollow organs contain a lumen and can leak contents when injured. Stomach, intestines, and bladder fit that description, as do gallbladder and appendix, which are luminal structures as well. The heart and brain are solid tissues too, but in this context the focus is on abdominal solid organs, and lungs are not classified as solid organs in this particular grouping. Therefore, the combination that consists entirely of solid abdominal parenchymal organs is the liver, spleen, and kidneys.