Conservative management of ruptured spleen.
For many years it was accepted that splenic injury was best managed by splenectomy. However, it has more recently been realized that patients whose spleen has been removed are more liable to life-threatening infection. This is of particular consequence if splenectomy is performed in childhood, with a long life expectancy. The extra mortality rate associated with sepsis after splenectomy is noted from reports in the literature, and the immunological functions of the spleen are discussed. It is pointed out that with the present diagnostic means splenic rupture or splenic injury need not necessarily indicate splenectomy. The features of conservative management are outlined, and the results in 75 patients, of whom only 21 underwent splenectomy, are stated.
D001803:Blood Transfusion; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D013154:Spleen / Q000502:physiology; D013156:Splenectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D013161:Splenic Rupture / Q000628:therapy*