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Normally, erythrocytes are stored and removed from the circulating blood by the spleen, including the removal of damaged erythrocytes. However, after a splenectomy the lack of presence of the spleen means this function cannot be carried out so damaged erythrocytes will continue to circulate in the blood and can release substances into the blood.
The most frequent cause of autosplenectomy is sickle cell anemia [10] which causes progressive splenic hypofunction over time. Increased deoxygenation causes sickling of red blood cells, which adhere to the spleen wall and splenic macrophages causing ischemia . [ 2 ]
An overwhelming post-splenectomy infection (OPSI) is a rare but rapidly fatal infection occurring in individuals following removal (or permanent dysfunction) of the spleen. The infections are typically characterized by either meningitis or sepsis , and are caused by encapsulated organisms including Streptococcus pneumoniae . [ 3 ]
In one series of 59 patients, mortality amounted to 5%. [3] Complications include a ruptured spleen, bleeding, an abscess of the spleen (for example, if the underlying cause is infective endocarditis) or pseudocyst formation. Splenectomy may be warranted for persistent pseudocysts due to the high risk of subsequent rupture. [4]
Acquired asplenia occurs for several reasons: . Following splenectomy due to splenic rupture from trauma or because of tumor; After splenectomy with the goal of interfering with splenic function, as a treatment for diseases (e.g. idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, thalassemia, spherocytosis), in which the spleen's usual activity exacerbates the disease
According to the Mayo Clinic, when a spleen is removed, other organs generally take over its functions, but along with the higher risk of serious infections, a patient without a spleen has ...
Historically, before there were effective medications for the treatment of Crohn’s disease, the majority of Crohn’s patients needed surgery to address complications that would inevitably arise ...
Splenectomy (removal of the spleen) may be considered in patients who are either unresponsive to steroid treatment, have frequent relapses, or cannot be tapered off steroids after a few months. Platelets which have been bound by antibodies are taken up by macrophages in the spleen (which have Fc receptors ), and so removal of the spleen reduces ...