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splenectomy
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splenectomy

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A splenectomy is the surgical procedure that partially or completely removes the spleen. The spleen is an important organ in regard to immunological function due to its ability to efficiently destroy encapsulated bacteria. Therefore, removal of the spleen runs the risk of overwhelming post-splenectomy infection, a medical emergency and rapidly fatal disease caused by the inability of the body's immune system to properly fight infection following splenectomy or asplenia.

Key facts

Medical intervention.Name
Splenectomy
Medical intervention.Image
Spleen after spleenectomy.jpg
Medical intervention.Caption
Surgically removed spleen of a child with thalassemia. It is about 15 times larger than normal.
Medical intervention.ICD9
,
Medical intervention.MeshID
D013156

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Wikidata facts

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Splenectomy-scar.jpg
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Commons category
Splenectomy
ICD-9-CM
41.5
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~8 min read

Article

7 sections
Contents
  • Indications
  • Procedure
  • Side effects
  • Subtotal splenectomy
  • History
  • See also
  • References

A splenectomy is the surgical procedure that partially or completely removes the spleen. The spleen is an important organ in regard to immunological function due to its ability to efficiently destroy encapsulated bacteria. Therefore, removal of the spleen runs the risk of overwhelming post-splenectomy infection, a medical emergency and rapidly fatal disease caused by the inability of the body's immune system to properly fight infection following splenectomy or asplenia.

Common indications for splenectomy include trauma, tumors, splenomegaly or for hematological disease such as sickle cell anemia or thalassemia.

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