Overview
Splenectomy is the surgical removal of the spleen, performed either in full (total splenectomy) or in part (partial splenectomy), and undertaken for traumatic, haematological, oncological, and infective indications. The spleen contributes to filtration of senescent and abnormal blood cells, immune surveillance against encapsulated organisms, and the clearance of bloodborne pathogens, so its removal carries lasting consequences for immune defence. Common surgical indications include traumatic splenic rupture, sometimes presenting in unusual or massive forms, and space-occupying lesions such as splenic hydatid cysts, including giant and solitary presentations that may require operative excision. Haematological disorders, notably immune thrombocytopenia refractory to medical therapy, represent a major non-traumatic indication, and splenectomy intersects with the diagnosis and treatment strategies for such platelet disorders, including cases following stem-cell transplantation. The spleen's relationship to the portal and gastric venous circulation is also clinically relevant, as splenic and related venous abnormalities can produce complications such as gastric varices. Following splenectomy, patients face an increased lifelong risk of overwhelming infection by encapsulated bacteria, making vaccination, prophylaxis, and patient education central to postoperative care. By relieving mechanical, oncological, and immune-mediated disease, splenectomy remains an important procedure, balanced against the long-term immunological vulnerability that asplenia confers and the need for structured preventive follow-up.
Research published in this journal
7 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
Giant Isolated Hydatid Cyst of Spleen
Massive Splenic Rupture – An Unusual Presentation
Laboratory Tests Used in the Diagnosis of Immune Thrombocytopenia and General Treatment Approaches
Rare cause of gastric varices secondary to an isolated left gastric vein stenosis
Solitary Splenic Hydatid Cyst
Immune Thrombocytopenia after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation: Case Report and Brief Overview of Treatment Strategies
How this research is being cited
The 7 articles above have been cited 14 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
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Anas Aljaiuossi et al. · 2024 · Annals of Medicine and Surgery
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Bassem Al Hariri et al. · 2024 · Medical Reports
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2024 · Annals of Medicine and Surgery
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2024 · Medical Reports
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2023 · Medical Journal of Clinical Trials & Case Studies
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2022 · Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy
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S. Goyal et al. · 2021 · IP Indian Journal of Anatomy and Surgery of Head, Neck and Brain
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2021 · BMC Surgery
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Splenectomy, linking to each citing work.