Posttraumatic autotransplantation of spleen tissue.

Clinical and laboratory studies have documented high susceptibility to pneumococcal infection in asplenic humans and animals. Splenic autotransplantation has been suggested as a method of preserving function. Autotransplantation of irreparably damaged spleens in humans preserved splenic functions. Ten patients operated on for blunt abdominal trauma required unavoidable splenectomy. In each, autotransplantation of the removed spleen (roughly 50 g) was performed. Postoperative studies of splenic functions revealed disappearance of Howell-Jolly bodies from peripheral blood. Levels of IgM, which were initially significantly depressed, returned to normal and there were normal technetium Tc 99m sulfur colloid scans ten weeks after surgery. All patients are alive and healthy. Our data suggest that autotransplantation of spleen is a safe alternative method for preserving splenic function when total splenectomy is mandatory for hemostasis.