What is Splenectomy? Types, Purpose, Cost

June 17, 2024 Liver Section 53 Views

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What is splenectomy?

The surgical removal of the spleen from the body is known as splenectomy.

Spleen is a body organ present under the rib cage in the upper left side of the abdomen. It helps the body in fighting infection and filtering unnecessary substances, such as old or damaged blood cells, from the blood.

A splenectomy may be recommended in cases of a ruptured spleen due to an abdominal injury, as well as the treatment of splenomegaly (enlarged spleen), infections, certain blood disorders, cancerous tumors, and non-cancerous tumors. 

What are the different types ?

Based on the amount of spleen removed, splenectomy can be of the following different types:

  • Complete splenectomy: It involves the removal of the entire spleen.
  • Partial splenectomy: It involves the removal of only one segment of the spleen and sealing the defect by bringing the cut ends together.   

What is the purpose?

A splenectomy may be recommended in the following cases:

  • Ruptured spleen caused by an abdominal injury
  • Splenomegaly (enlarged spleen)
  • Certain types of blood disorders, like idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (reduced number of platelets), thalassemia (inherited blood disorder), and polycythemia vera (a type of blood cancer)
  • Cancers, like chronic lymphocytic leukemia (a type of blood cancer), Hodgkin’s and Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (types of cancers that affect the body’s lymphatic system), hairy cell leukemia (a type of blood cancer) ( Know more about- What is Lymphoma ? )
  • Severe infection
  • Abscess or pus formation in the spleen 
  • Non-cancerous tumors or cysts inside the spleen

What is the diagnostic procedure ?

  • Physical examination: The doctor will assess the physical health and medical history of the patient.
  • Blood tests: These tests help in evaluation of the general health of the patient and the presence of any underlying health issues.
  • Chest x-ray: The condition of the heart and lungs can be checked by the doctor using a chest X-ray.
  • Urine tests: The test helps detect urinary infections.
  • Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy: A sample of the abnormal fluid or the suspected tissue growth is obtained by the doctor and sent to the laboratory for further testing.
  • Endoscopy: This test enables the doctor to check if there are dilated blood vessels in the upper digestive tract.
  • Ultrasonography: It is a type of imaging test performed to get clear pictures of the spleen.
  • CT or computerized tomography scan: This is also a type of imaging test done to get clear images of the spleen.
  • Electrocardiogram (ECG): The heart’s electrical activity can be assessed using this test.

How to prepare?

The following are the preparation steps before a splenectomy:

  • Discuss any medical conditions that you may be having with your doctor.
  • Let your doctor know about any medicines that you are currently taking or any known allergies that you may have.
  • You may be asked to stop taking blood-thinning medications a few days before splenectomy.
  • You need to get vaccinated against meningococcal, pneumococcal, and Hemophilus influenzae infections at least three weeks before the surgery as your immunity will reduce after the procedure.
  • You may be asked to take some gut-sensitive antibiotics and may be given an enema to be used the day before the surgery.
  • You are asked to fast for at least eight to twelve hours before the procedure.

What is the procedure?

Splenectomy is usually performed under general anesthesia, which means that you will be put to sleep before the procedure. 

The different techniques that can be used to perform a splenectomy are:

Laparoscopic splenectomy:

  • The surgeon will first make four small incisions in the abdominal region.
  • A tube having a camera on one end, called a laparoscope, will be inserted by the surgeon into the abdomen through one of the incisions.
  • The camera is attached to a monitor, through which the surgeon can view inside.
  • The surgeon will now remove the spleen with the help of special surgical tools inserted through the small incisions.
  • The incisions are now closed using sutures.

Open splenectomy:

  • The surgeon creates a large incision in the abdomen.
  • The muscle and other tissues will then be moved aside to expose the spleen.
  • The spleen will now be removed.
  • The incision will now be closed using sutures.

Robotic surgery:

  • This is a procedure similar to laparoscopic surgery.
  • The surgeon will guide the robotic arms to perform this surgery with good accuracy. ( Know more about- Cost of Robotic Surgery in Mumbai )

How to care after the procedure?

The following are the after-care steps following a splenectomy:

  • Most patients can go home on the same day or day after the surgery following a laparoscopic approach.
  • Patients undergoing an open surgery will go home two to seven days after the procedure.
  • You will be able to resume most of your daily activities two weeks following a laparoscopic surgery and six weeks following an open surgery.
  • After a splenectomy surgery, the other body organs will take over the spleen’s function.
  • You will be more susceptible to various infections and illnesses due to low immunity following spleen removal. This risk will be the highest shortly after the surgery and it is, therefore, recommended to get vaccinated before splenectomy.

What are the risks?

The following complications may be associated with a splenectomy:

  • Pain
  • Internal bleeding
  • Injury to the pancreas
  • Abscess formation 
  • Wound infection
  • Pneumonia
  • Sepsis (a life-threatening condition that leads to body tissue damage in response to an infection)
  • Overwhelming post splenectomy infection (a life-threatening condition that could be prevented by vaccination before the procedure)
  • Collapse of lungs
  • Splenosis (accidental transplantation of spleen pieces in the abdomen)
  • Paralytic ileus (failure of the bowels to move following surgery)
  • Primary disorder recurrence 

What is the cost in India?

The average cost of splenectomy in India varies between INR 80,000 to INR 3,00,000. However, this cost will vary depending on several factors.

We hope that we could answer all your questions regarding splenectomy through this article.

If you need more information about splenectomy, you can contact a general surgeon or surgical gastroenterologist.

We only aim to provide you with information through this article. We do not recommend any medication or treatment to anyone. Only a qualified doctor can give you good advice and the correct treatment plan.


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