Diseases of the spleen

Adresse

Switzerland

  • Surgery Department
    The Division of Digestive Surgery
    Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4
    1205 Geneva - Suisse


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    Monday to Friday from 9:30 am -11:30 am and from 14:00 pm - 16:00 pm

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Christian Toso
Professor
Christian Toso
Head of Division

Planned ablation of the spleen

Rare blood disorders require splenectomy : Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (destruction of platelets by the splenic cells), spherocytosis (destruction of pathologically fragile red blood cells, by the spleen), sickle cell anemia (destruction by the spleen of red cells changing forms in certain conditions) resistant to medical treatment, or thalassemia (disease of the blood affecting the production of hemoglobin that transports oxygen in the body) requiring multiple transfusions. Rare lesions of the spleen itself also require its removal.

The operation is performed under general anesthesia and by laparotomy , or more rarely, by laparoscopy .

Splenectomy as a surgical emergency

Trauma to the spleen (for example in the event of an accident) which causes internal bleeding which cannot be treated by interventional radiology (FR) is a surgical emergency. Therefore, the injured person should benefit from a splenectomy. The procedure is performed by laparotomy to control the active bleeding.

The immune system has to be strengthened after splenectomy

Splenectomized patients are at risk of severe bacterial infections. Therefore, these patients should be vaccinated against the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis, in addition to the annual vaccination against the influenza virus (Influenza). This vaccination can be carried out before (if it is carried out in a planned way ) or after (if it is an emergency)  splenectomy. In the event of fever, these patients should immediately take antibiotics and seek urgent medical attention.

Splenectomy
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Surgical ablation of the spleen
Laparotomy
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Open surgery of the abdomen
Laparoscopy
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A surgical technique using small incisions and insertion of a camera
Splenectomized patients
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Without a spleen
Last update : 04/01/2022