title: Ligation of the splenic artery in operations of the spleen in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Every effort is made during surgery of the spleen to preserve splenic function. This serves the purpose of maintaining the integrity of the defence mechanisms of the patient against infection in the short - and long-term. With ligation of the splenic artery prior to excision of splenic lesions and splenic repair we aimed to secure control of peri- operative bleeding, thus, making feasible the preservation of the spleen.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six patients with splenic pathology aged 5-14 years old (four boys and two girls) were operated on for splenic pathology between 1994-1999. Three had splenic cysts (dermoid), one had a hamartoma and 2 had hydatid cysts. Investigations included radiography, ultrasound scan, computerised tomography and scintigraphy. All patients were administered antibiotics and pneumovax pre-operatively. Ligation of the splenic artery was carried out with ligaclips. Congenital anomalies or hydatid cysts were excised and repair of the spleen with splenorrhaphy was performed. Peri-operative blood loss was minimal and this aided greatly in performing the excision of the splenic lesions and the repair of the spleen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients had an uncomplicated post-operative course. Scintigraphy in the follow-up from 6 months after the operation showed good splenic function. Laboratory investigations did not show decreased levels of immunological factors in the early or later post- operative period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Splenic artery ligation reduced the amount of bleeding and allowed for the preservation of the spleen in all patients in this study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Surgery G. Gennimatas Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. xenos@otenet.gr
authors.forename: X S
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Roussis
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Liasidou
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Petropoulos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013156:Splenectomy; D013157:Splenic Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000151:congenital* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*