Splenectomy and the sick asplenic patient.

The sick asplenic patient bears risk to infectious complications and mortality. That risk is not widely accepted since no specific syndrome is applicable to all asplenic patients who are ill. In order to determine outcome following splenectomy, 624 patients having simple splenic injury, splenic plus multisystem trauma, elective splenectomy, incidental or accidental splenectomy, or splenectomy associated with transplantation were studied. Nonfatal complications specifically related to splenectomy occurred in 23 per cent of patients with multiorgan injury and 18 per cent with incidental-accidental splenic removal; splenectomy associated with transplantation had the highest mortality. The classic postsplenectomy sepsis syndrome was encountered late only twice. In the already sick patient rendered asplenic, conditions heralding susceptibility to progressive and sometimes fatal infection must be considered at all times. Sound indications for splenectomy must prevail before splenic removal since morbidity and mortality follow splenectomy, especially in the sick asplenic patient.