Abstract

SIERRA ENRIQUE, Eddy; MARTINEZ RAMOS, Gilberto; DIAZ GONZALEZ, Eduardo  and  ALVAREZ DIEPA, Manuel. Esplenectomía incidental: ¿Está justificada?. Rev Cubana Cir [online]. 1997, vol.36, n.3, pp. 206-216. ISSN 1561-2945.

77 medical histories of patients who presented incidental injuries of the spleen occurred between 1985 and 1994, during intraabdominal operations and by laparoscopic examination, were reviewed. The immunological functions of the spleen and its role against infections are well defined, so the removal of this organ due to incidental injuries favors the appearance of infections in these patients for the rest of their lives. Of the 77 incidental injuries 47 (61 %) incidental splenectomies and 30 (39 %) conservative surgeries were performed. Duodenal ulcer and hiatal hernia proved to be the main causes of incidental splenectomy. There were 11 infections (23.4 %) and 1 death (2.1 %) in the incidental splenectomy compared with 1 infection (3.3 %) and no death in the conservative surgery. It is concluded that splenectomy is not justified because of its disadvantages

Keywords : SPLENECTOMY [adverse effects]; POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS [etiology]; SURGICAL WOUND INFECTION [etiology]; SPLEEN [surgery]; DUODENAL ULCER [surgery]; HERNIA, HIATAL [surgery]; IATROGENIC DISEASE.