What can be the consequences of removal of the spleen?

The spleen in the human body performs very important functions, but people with little knowledge of them without medical education know little about them. Let's fill the gaps. Many have heard of an operation called splenectomy. But what does it mean? And what happens after it? They do not know this. Therefore, they ask such a question to the surgeon.

Splenectomy is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of the spleen. Since there are no unnecessary parts of the body, it is carried out according to the indications. Most often the cause is traumatic damage to the body as a result of a traffic accident, falling from a height or strong blows to the stomach. Since the spleen is very well supplied with blood, its tears are dangerous because of the occurrence of severe bleeding. Removal of the body is required for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, cysts, abscesses, spleen tumors, pathologies of its vessels (artery aneurysm, vascular thrombosis).

Finally, with blood diseases like thalassemia, hereditary hemolytic anemia, lymphomas, leukemia, hereditary spherocytosis, spleen removal is also necessary. The consequences, like any surgical intervention associated with the extraction of the organ, of course, will be. And consider them better in accordance with the division into two large groups: complications of the operation itself and specific disorders caused by loss of functional organ activity.

What are the common postoperative consequences of spleen removal? Any surgical intervention associated with penetration into the abdominal cavity may be complicated by thrombosis of the hepatic veins, reactive pancreatitis, trauma to the digestive organs (intestines, stomach, pancreas), pneumonia, internal bleeding or peritonitis. There are also problems with postoperative suture (infection, hernia, prolapse of internal organs).

What are the specific consequences of the removal of the spleen? In order to get an answer to this question, you need to remember what functions this part of our body performs. The spleen is one of the components of the immune system, contains a large number of white blood cells, it also synthesizes antibodies. The organ is the site of destruction of red blood cells and platelets.

Effects of spleen removal related to blood

Patients with a distant spleen have some changes in blood that can persist throughout life. Mark the bodies of Govell-Jolly and Heinz, the nuclear forms of red blood cells. The shape of these blood cells also changes. Due to the high platelet count and hypercoagulation (increased coagulation capacity) of the blood, thromboembolisms of the pulmonary artery and cerebral vessels can be observed.

Immune disorders as consequences of removal of the spleen

One of the most serious complications is the tendency of patients to purulent-infectious diseases. Since the immune defense of the body is weakened, any infection can lead to sepsis and death of a person. What is the manifestation of a drop in immunity? Decreased synthesis of immunoglobulins, a disorder of phagocytic function, a decrease in the amount of complement and other protective proteins in the plasma. Especially dangerous is the period within two years after the operation.