What is Splenectomy ?
A splenectomy is a surgical procedure that partially or completely removes the spleen
What are indications for Splenectomy ?
- When it becomes very large such that it becomes destructive to platelets/red blood cells
- Lymphomas
- Certain cases of Splenic abscess
- Certain cases of wandering spleen
- Splenic vein thrombosis with bleeding gastric varices
- Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
- Trauma
- Following spontaneous rupture
- For long-term treatment of congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP) if severe hemolytic anemia develops
What are the various ways of Splenectomy?
- Laparoscopy is the preferred procedure in cases where the spleen is not too large and when the procedure is elective.
- Open surgery is performed in trauma cases or if the spleen is enlarged.
- Vaccination for pneumococcus, H. influenza and meningococcus should be given pre-operatively if possible to minimize the chance of overwhelming post-splenectomy infection (OPSI), a rapid-developing and potentially fatal type of septicaemia
What are the side effects of Splenectomy?
- Increased risk of sepsis due to encapsulated organisms (such as S. pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae
- An increase in blood leukocytes can occur following a splenectomy.
- The post-splenectomy platelet count may rise to abnormally high levels (thrombocytosis), leading to an increased risk of potentially fatal clot formation
- Splenectomy may also lead to chronic neutrophilia
- A splenectomy also results in a greatly diminished frequency of memory B cells and increased risk of infection.
For More about Laparoscopic Splenectomy, you can reach directly to Dr. Mradul Garg at +91-9560413585