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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffMany small and many moderate-sized injuries to the spleen can heal without surgery. You're likely to stay in the hospital for up to a week while doctors observe your condition and provide nonsurgical care, such as blood transfusions, if necessary. If your injury is severe, your spleen may need to be surgically repaired or, in some cases, removed. Surgery to remove your spleen is called splenectomy.
Many splenectomies are done with a small incision and a slender tube equipped with a camera lens and light (laparoscope), but emergency surgery may require an open procedure. If you've lost a large amount of blood, you may need transfusions to improve your circulation.
Life without a spleen
You can live an active life without a spleen, but you're more likely to contract serious or even life-threatening infections. If your spleen is removed, your doctor may recommend a pneumonia vaccine, as well as yearly flu vaccines. In some cases, preventive antibiotics may be recommended as well — especially if you have any other conditions that increase your risk of serious infections.
After a splenectomy, notify your doctor at the first sign of an infection. Make sure anyone caring for you knows that you've had your spleen removed.
- Laparoscopic spleen removal (splenectomy). The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Laparoscopic Surgeons. http://www.sages.org/sagespublication.php?doc=PI12. Accessed Sept. 21, 2008.
- Spleen injury. The Merck Manuals Medical Online Library: Home Edition for Patients and Caregivers. http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec14/ch179/ch179c.html. Accessed Sept. 21, 2008.
- Mononucleosis. American Academy of Family Physicians. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/infections/common/viral/077.html. Accessed Sept. 21, 2008.
- Splenectomy. American Academy of Family Physicians. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/articles/655.printerview.html. Accessed Sept. 21, 2008.
- Indications for splenectomy. National Guideline Clearinghouse. http://www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?doc_id=5505. Accessed Sept. 21, 2008.
