Splenectomy and susceptibility to infection in childhood Hodgkin's disease.

In a ten-year analysis (1970-1979) of lymphogranulomatosis performed at the Clinic of Pediatry of the Wilhelm Pieck University, Rostock, special attention was paid to susceptibility to infection after splenectomy. Of 22 children treated for lymphogranulomatosis, 20 underwent explorative laparotomy and splenectomy. After removal of the spleen the rate of infectious complications (of both viral and bacterial origin) doubled as compared to that seen before splenectomy. The finding of immunological investigations did not sufficiently explain the clinically proven susceptibility to infection.