Subtotal splenectomy for treatment of patients with myelofibrosis and myeloid metaplasia.

Idiopathic myelofibrosis is a chronic myeloproliferative disorder that may course with myeloid metaplasia involving several organs. Occasionally, the spleen reaches giant proportions and must be withdrawn. However, this procedure is followed by greater morbidity and mortality. Partial splenectomies, preserving the splenic pedicle, have been proposed in order to reduce postoperative complications. After an early postoperative improvement, some patients present symptomatic recurrence of their disease. This communication presents a new alternative for the treatment of complicated myeloid metaplasia: subtotal splenectomy, preserving the upper splenic pole supplied only by the splenogastric vessels. We performed this procedure in three patients. Their almost two years postoperative follow-up and health improvement suggest that this operation should be considered for the treatment of huge spleens due to myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia.